Gijsbrecht van Amstel en de Hertog van Gelre worden in het kapittel gebracht voor de verkiezing van een nieuwe bisschop, 1227 1784 - 1786

Jacobus Buys made this pen and brown ink drawing to illustrate a moment from Dutch history. It depicts Gijsbrecht van Amstel and the Duke of Gelre being brought into a chapter for the election of a new bishop in 1227. Buys made this drawing at a time when the Dutch Republic was undergoing profound social and political change. The Patriot movement was gaining momentum, challenging the established order of the Stadtholder and the aristocracy. In this context, historical subjects offered a way to reflect on questions of national identity and political legitimacy. Buys likely drew on archival sources to reconstruct this historical scene. We can imagine him consulting historical chronicles and accounts to inform his depiction of the characters, costumes, and setting. As art historians, we can look at the drawing, the artist, and the time it was made, to give a deeper understanding of its cultural significance.