De inwoners van Delft smeken graaf Albrecht om vergiffenis, 1359 1853 - 1855

This print depicts the people of Delft begging Count Albert of Bavaria for forgiveness in 1359. The work, made by an anonymous artist, stages the surrender of Delft to the Duke, presenting him as a symbol of authority. The act of surrender is laden with the visual codes of social power. Count Albert is centrally located in the composition and set higher than the inhabitants of Delft, who are on their knees. These people are begging for mercy after a conflict, probably the Hook and Cod wars which involved a series of civil wars in Holland from 1350-1490. The work and its staging suggest how institutions create their own power. In order to understand this print better, we can research the history of Delft, Bavaria, and Holland in the late medieval period, as well as the Hook and Cod wars. Through this research, we can better understand the social and institutional histories that shaped the artwork.