Jacoba van Beieren sluit vrede met Filips de Goede, 1428 1823 - 1829

Philippus Velijn created this print titled *Jacoba van Beieren sluit vrede met Filips de Goede, 1428* sometime in the early 19th century. It depicts a historical moment of peace, yet consider it in light of its own time, a period of nation-building and romanticized historical narratives. Here, we see Jacoba of Bavaria signing away her power to Philip the Good. Reflect on the power dynamics at play; Jacoba, a woman in a world of powerful men, being forced to give up her sovereignty. What does it mean to depict this moment of female submission as an act of peace? It is a pointed commentary on gender, power, and national identity. How does the image invite us to reconcile Jacoba's personal defeat with the perceived greater good of peace? It's a complicated emotional landscape, one where personal tragedy is framed as political necessity. The print leaves us to consider whose stories are told, and how, in the construction of national histories.