Frederik Hendrik legt de eed af als stadhouder en neemt zitting in de Staten van Holland, 1625 1650 - 1652

This engraving depicts Frederik Hendrik taking his oath as Stadtholder of Holland in 1625. It’s an anonymous work, but we can still analyze what it tells us about the Dutch Republic at this moment. The print visualizes the moment Frederik Hendrik assumed a powerful political role. It captures the pomp and ceremony of the States of Holland, the provincial government, while also hinting at the evolving relationship between the House of Orange and the Republic. The artist makes use of visual codes that would have been easily readable to a 17th-century Dutch audience. The architecture, the clothing, and the arrangement of figures are all meant to convey a sense of order and authority. For historians, images like this are valuable primary sources. By studying them alongside other historical documents, such as written accounts and political pamphlets, we can gain a richer understanding of the complex social, cultural, and political landscape of the Dutch Golden Age and the institutions that shaped it.