Portret van Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp 1648 - 1664

Cornelis van Dalen II created this print of Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp in the Netherlands, sometime in the mid-17th century. Prints like this one played an important role in shaping public memory in the Dutch Golden Age. Tromp was a celebrated naval officer, and his image here is carefully constructed to convey authority. Note the subtle details of his clothing, indicating his status. Consider too the context of the Eighty Years' War, the long struggle for independence from Spain. Figures like Tromp became symbols of Dutch resilience. The Rijksmuseum itself is an institution that plays a role in shaping national identity. How do museums choose which figures to celebrate? What stories do they tell through the art they display? By studying the visual culture of the past, and the institutions that preserve it, we can better understand the values of a society. Resources like letters, newspapers, and archival documents help us to understand the past.