Portrait of Philips (1566-95), Count of Nassau c. 1609 - 1633

This is a portrait of Philips, Count of Nassau, painted anonymously in 1595. Philips died at the young age of 29, fighting for the Dutch Republic against the Spanish. The image presents Philips in a way that speaks to his status and profession. The armour tells us that he was a soldier, and the fine details of his clothing indicate his nobility. The inscription on the top right of the painting, in Latin, tells us his age, and indicates he died by the Rhine. We can understand this portrait as a product of the social and political conditions of the Dutch Golden Age, a time of wealth, trade, and artistic innovation, but also a time of conflict and political upheaval. As an art historian, I might consider this painting alongside other portraits of Dutch military figures. What visual strategies were used to convey status and power? What can we learn about the Dutch Republic by studying its art? These are the kinds of questions we can ask when we consider art in its social context.