Lijk van Oliver Cromwell postuum geëxecuteerd en aan de galg gehangen op 30 januari 1661 1692 - 1714

This print by Thomas Doesburgh depicts the posthumous execution of Oliver Cromwell in the Netherlands. It points to the sensationalism of political theatre in the 17th century. The work attempts to visually capture the moment when Cromwell's body was exhumed, hung, and beheaded, as a symbolic act of revenge by the Royalists after the restoration of the monarchy. The choice to depict this event through printmaking suggests the importance of disseminating this image to a wide audience. Doesburgh's print offers insight into the ways political power was asserted and contested through visual media. To understand this image better we might consider how the institutions of law, monarchy, and public spectacle shaped artistic production and consumption during this period. This image reflects the intense social and political upheaval of its time, capturing a moment of retribution and reaffirmation of traditional authority.