Penning met het portret van Hendrik IV, met lauwerkrans 1720

This print of a medal portraying Henry IV of France was created by Bernard Picart in 1720 in the Netherlands. The two sides depict Henry in profile wearing a laurel wreath and, on the reverse, a victorious figure standing over weapons. This print comes from a period in the Dutch Republic when there was great interest in historical subjects. Here, Picart is using the visual language of portraiture to glorify Henry IV, associating him with the victories of the past. The medal commemorates Henry's victory at the Battle of Ivry in 1590, a key moment in the French Wars of Religion, when the Protestant Henry fought against the Catholic League. While Picart himself was French, the print was made in the Dutch Republic, which had won its independence from Spain after its own war of religion. To fully understand such a print, it's important to consider the political and religious context of both France and the Netherlands. By studying period histories and researching the lives of both Henry IV and Picart, we can better understand the nuances of its visual language and its role in shaping historical memory.