Beschrijving van de aanhouding van de prinses bij Goejanverwellesluis, 1787 1787 - 1790

This small print, made by Willem Coertse in 1787, commemorates the arrest of Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia. It is a decidedly low-tech object, a simple etching on paper, produced in multiples. The act of printing itself mirrors the political situation it depicts. The mechanized reproduction of images and texts was closely tied to the spread of revolutionary ideas in the 18th century. It democratized information, making it available to a wider public. Consider how the crisp, repeatable lines of the etching emphasize the power of mass communication. This contrasts sharply with the aristocratic subject matter – the Princess, caught in a moment of political turmoil. The print, therefore, becomes a tool of the revolution, disseminating an event that challenged the established order, embodying the changing social landscape of the time. By focusing on its materiality, we see how this modest print participated in a much larger political drama.