Tekstblad bij de prent van de overwinning van Willem III aan de Boyne, 1690 1693 - 1699

This broadside announcing William III’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne was printed by Anna Beeck in The Hague in 1690. It is an engraving on paper. Beeck was unusual for the time, a woman running her own print shop. This text is both a news bulletin and a piece of propaganda. It tells of William's triumph over James II in Ireland. The language, however, is far from neutral. James is described as leading "Rebels and Frenchmen." The term "By the Grace of God," in the headline, tells us that William’s victory was seen as divinely ordained. The text also contains a "Verklaringh," or explanation, of numbered places on the image, like a key to understanding the battle scene. To truly understand this work, we can research the political and religious conflicts of the time, the rivalry between England and France, and the role of print in shaping public opinion. What was the public role of this imagery? What was Anna Beeck's social position as a woman in business? These are the questions social art historians try to answer.