Spotprent op de bisschop van Munster, 1672 1644 - 1672

This 1672 print by Hendrick Hondius I, now at the Rijksmuseum, satirizes the Bishop of Munster and his troops during the Franco-Dutch War. The print critiques the Bishop's military campaign, framing it as a procession of "pape-kinderen" or "papist children." The imagery and text work together to portray the Bishop as a leader of religious excess and corruption, playing on anti-Catholic sentiments prevalent at the time. Through caricature and wordplay, Hondius critiques the Bishop's authority and legitimacy. The print reveals the tensions between religious and political powers, and the social anxieties surrounding confessional identity in the 17th-century Netherlands. The choice of clothing can be interpreted as a mockery of Catholic rituals. Hondius develops an alternative narrative in which the Bishop is not a holy man but a foolish leader. This artwork serves as a reminder of how cultural biases have historically influenced political conflicts, and how images can evoke strong emotional responses while perpetuating stereotypes.