Twee vrouwen bij monument met keizersportretten 1725

This engraving, whose author and exact date are unknown, is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. As an illustration for Gilbert Burnet's "Memoirs for Serve the History of Great Britain," the print tells us much about the cultural politics of image-making in its time. The figures in the image point to the visual codes and cultural references of its period. Two women flank a monument, one holding a portrait and a dove. She is an allegorical figure, but of what exactly? And what of the woman on the right, bound by chains? The title on the monument is in French, reminding us of the close entanglement between Britain and France. Uncovering the meaning of this print requires a historian's eye. What were Burnet's political and religious affiliations? How was Great Britain perceived in Europe? Considering these questions and consulting primary source documents will give us a richer understanding of this image and the world it reflects.