Vers op de dood van de gebroeders De Witt, 1672 1672

This anonymous Dutch broadside, titled “Vers op de dood van de gebroeders De Witt,” from 1672, is a politically charged piece of propaganda. It is written in rhyming couplets, using Dutch vernacular to express support for the Orangist cause and William III, who is celebrated as the new Dutch leader. The text condemns the murder of the brothers Johan and Cornelis de Witt, members of the De Witt faction who had opposed William III, and praises William III’s efforts to protect the Netherlands from French invasion. The artwork, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, offers a glimpse into the tumultuous political climate of the time.