Vrouwfiguur als de Vrede van Münster 1783 - 1795

This 18th-century engraving by Reinier Vinkeles depicts "Vrouwfiguur als de Vrede van Münster," (meaning "Female Figure as the Peace of Münster"). The artwork, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, features a female figure representing peace, holding a laurel branch and standing over a broken shield, symbolizing the end of war. This allegorical representation likely reflects the Treaty of Westphalia (1648), which ended the Thirty Years' War and the Eighty Years' War, securing peace in Europe. The lower part of the engraving shows a scene of people gathered at a table, potentially representing the signing ceremony of the treaty. The piece is a classic example of Dutch Neoclassicism, evident in its emphasis on balance, symmetry, and clarity, and its use of allegorical figures.