Gezicht op Slot Loevestein 1674

Gaspar Bouttats made this print of Loevestein Castle sometime between 1648 and 1695 using etching. In this bird’s eye view, we see the moated fortress from a distance, framed by a flat landscape. This image of Loevestein speaks to the tensions between the Dutch Republic and the House of Orange in the 17th and 18th centuries. For many, Loevestein was a symbol of state power. It was a prison for those who challenged the ruling political class. The most famous prisoner held in Loevestein was Hugo Grotius, a legal scholar who was imprisoned for his involvement in religious disputes. Grotius escaped from the castle in a book chest and fled to Paris. After that daring escape, Loevestein became a symbol of resistance to tyranny for those who supported the House of Orange. Historians can look at court records, letters, and political pamphlets from this period to better understand Loevestein as a contested symbol of state power and individual liberty.