Aankomst van Isabella te Haarlem, 1444 1783 - 1795

Reinier Vinkeles created this print of the Arrival of Isabella in Haarlem in 1744 using etching and engraving. But why would an eighteenth-century artist depict an event from the fifteenth? In the late 1700s, there was a growing interest in national history and identity throughout Europe, and the Dutch Republic was no exception. Artists turned to the past for subjects that could inspire patriotism and a sense of shared heritage. Isabella of Portugal's arrival in Haarlem for her marriage to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, represented a moment of political and cultural significance for the region. This print, now in the Rijksmuseum, reflects a conscious effort to construct a narrative around Dutch identity through the selective retelling of historical events. Prints like this circulated widely and shaped public perception of the past, fostering a sense of collective memory. Examining such works allows us to understand the complex relationship between art, history, and national identity, and historical resources can help us understand it better.