Heldendood van ridder Louis d'Assas, 1760 c. 1777

This anonymous engraving, “Heldendood van ridder Louis d'Assas, 1760,” depicts the death of French soldier Louis d'Assas during the Seven Years' War. The scene is set in a wooded area, with soldiers in the foreground, and a moonlit sky in the background. The central figure of the composition is d'Assas, who is surrounded by enemy soldiers and shown dying in battle, a testament to his bravery. The engraving is likely a representation of a historical event, as depicted in the text at the bottom, which celebrates d'Assas's sacrifice as a "heroic death," and it was likely created sometime in the 1770s. The engraving's stark lines and detail create a strong visual impression of the event, likely intended to inspire patriotism.