Praalgraf van Engelbrecht I van Nassau 1744

B.F. Immink created this image of the tomb of Engelbrecht I of Nassau, but the absence of a date invites us to consider its purpose. Was it a preparatory drawing, or a historical record? Engelbrecht was Count of Nassau, Vianden and Diez, Lord of Breda, and Governor of Flanders – a man of great status in the Low Countries in the late medieval period. Here, the tomb is depicted in elaborate Gothic detail. The structure includes heraldic devices as well as religious imagery. The scene on the main level appears to represent the presentation of Jesus at the temple. In the absence of further information about the context, the artwork offers up many questions for the historian. What was Immink’s relationship to the Nassau family, and what was his training? What are the codes of heraldry in the image, and how do they relate to the other aristocratic families of the region? Understanding the social role of art relies on this kind of careful research.