Portret van Heinrich Johann, graaf van Dunnewald c. 1635 - 1695

This portrait of Heinrich Johann, Count of Dunnewald, was etched by Christiaan Hagen, likely in the late 17th or early 18th century, when Hagen was active in the Netherlands. The image depicts Dunnewald in full military regalia, complete with elaborate wig, against the backdrop of a battle scene. It is a powerful statement about the status and authority of military leaders in the Dutch Republic. Military prowess was closely tied to nobility, and Hagen's visual choices underscore the importance of social rank in a society undergoing significant transformation. To understand this artwork, we need to consider the political landscape of the time and the role of the Dutch military, as well as the institution of the portrait within Dutch culture. Further archival research into the Dunnewald family, as well as studies of military portraiture, would help us to better understand its meaning. This portrait reminds us that art is always embedded in social and institutional contexts.