Frederik Hendrik legt de eed af als stadhouder, 1625 1786

Jacobus Buys made this print of Frederik Hendrik taking the oath as Stadtholder in 1625, using etching and burin. This image encapsulates the complex dance between power, representation, and institutional legitimacy in the Dutch Republic. The scene depicts a ritualized moment of governance. Consider the architecture: the imposing columns and stone walls speak to the authority of the setting, while the assembly of figures represents the political elite of the time. Made in the late eighteenth century, it looks back to the early 17th century, during a time of both tremendous economic expansion and fierce political contestation in the Netherlands. The print doesn't merely record an event, it participates in shaping its memory, contributing to the ongoing construction of Dutch national identity. To understand this work more deeply, we need to consider its place within a longer history of Dutch printmaking, its relationship to the political climate of the 18th century, and its function within the Rijksmuseum's collection.