Inhaling van Hierges te Amsterdam, 1574 1722 - 1784

Simon Fokke made this print of the Inhaling van Hierges te Amsterdam in 1774. This small etching shows the triumphal entry of Gilles de Berlaymont, lord of Hierges, into Amsterdam in 1574, after the city had sided with William of Orange in the revolt against Spanish rule. Fokke made this print more than 200 years after the actual event. Why? The image evokes the collective memory of a crucial moment in Dutch history, reaffirming the values of independence and resistance against oppression. The artist uses a graphic style and design to convey a sense of historical authenticity. To understand this print better, we might delve into archival sources, exploring the political climate of the late 18th century and the ways in which national identity was being shaped through art. This etching serves as a reminder that our understanding of the past is always filtered through the concerns and perspectives of the present.