Zeeslag bij Vlissingen, 1572 1865 - 1870

Hendrik Sluyter made this print of the Battle of Vlissingen sometime in the 19th century. It depicts a naval battle that took place in 1572. This image of the Dutch fighting for independence from Spain is charged with nationalistic sentiment. In the 19th century, the Netherlands experienced a surge of national pride as it began to define itself as an independent nation-state, centuries after the events depicted here. This small print thus reflects a much larger social and political process. The Rijksmuseum itself, founded in 1800, played a crucial role in creating a national cultural identity. Prints like this one were collected and displayed, creating a shared visual history for the Dutch people. To understand this image better, one could investigate Dutch history, the history of nationalism, and the history of museums as institutions. Looking at the social conditions that shaped its production reveals that art is contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was created.