Allegorie op de overwinningen van de Geallieerden in 1704 1704 - 1705

This color print celebrates the Allied victories of 1704, though we don’t know who made it. It shows the major players in the War of the Spanish Succession, a conflict over who would rule Spain after the death of Charles II. In the Dutch Republic, prints like these were a form of public media, offering commentary on current events and shaping public opinion. The Dutch Republic was deeply invested in the war, and prints were used to rally support for the Allied cause. Note the idealized portraits of military leaders, maps of key battles, and allegorical figures representing victory. This print visually constructs a narrative of Dutch heroism and triumph, yet, as art historians, we can ask: Whose story is being told, and whose is being left out? By studying such prints in their historical context, we gain insights into the complex interplay of art, politics, and public opinion in the Dutch Golden Age.