Beleg van Oldeklooster, 1535 1629 - 1652

Pieter Hendricksz Schut created this etching titled 'Siege of Oldeklooster, 1535' sometime in the mid-17th century. Schut made this print almost a century after the event it depicts, so it reflects the cultural and political memory of the siege rather than a firsthand account. In this image we see the Anabaptists, a radical religious group, being driven out of the Oldeklooster monastery in Friesland. Note how the composition places the viewer on the side of the established order, looking out at the siege. The print supports the perspective of the Dutch Reformed Church and the ruling class. The Governor is on horseback giving orders. The narrative reinforces the idea of the Anabaptists as a dangerous other. Ultimately, it is a reminder of the ways historical events become enmeshed with the politics of identity. The past, as it is visualized here, remains a powerful tool for shaping societal attitudes and behaviors.