Proclamatie te Gent van Karel II van Spanje als graaf van Vlaanderen (blad 1), 1666 1666 - 1667

In 1666, Lucas Vorsterman the Younger created this print, “Proclamation in Ghent of Charles II of Spain as Count of Flanders, Sheet 1." This print gives us a glimpse into the political and social hierarchy of 17th-century Flanders. The portraits of religious figures, each framed within ornate ovals, are emblems of the power and influence wielded by the Catholic Church. Their presence underscores the Church's endorsement of Charles II's rule. Note how the heraldic symbols beneath each portrait root the figures in systems of lineage and authority. Below, a panoramic view of Ghent unfolds, yet it is not a celebration of the city itself. Instead, the landscape functions as a backdrop to the figures above, reinforcing the distance between ruler and the ruled. The emotional tenor is one of enforced order, a world where identity and position are carefully delineated. Ultimately, the print speaks to the ways in which power is constructed and maintained, using both religious and secular authority to assert dominance. It serves as a reminder of the personal and communal implications of political rule.