Personificatie van de overwinning van de Nederlandse vrijheid op de inquisitie 1716

This print, "Personification of the victory of the Dutch freedom on the inquisition," was made by Nicolas Laigniel in the 17th or 18th century. It allegorically represents the Dutch Republic's triumph over the Spanish Inquisition, a pivotal moment in their struggle for independence and religious freedom. The central female figure embodies Dutch liberty, holding a liberty cap atop a staff, while the defeated Inquisition lies vanquished beneath her feet. The Dutch revolt was a watershed moment in the history of European religious conflict and colonialism, reshaping the geopolitical map and fostering new ideas about sovereignty and identity. Laigniel’s print is deeply embedded in a specific historical and cultural context. This image seeks to represent a nation’s triumphant identity. What does it mean for the Dutch Republic to depict itself as a powerful, free woman standing over its defeated oppressors? The piece is a visual assertion of newfound liberty and power.