Buste van Hugo de Groot gelauwerd door Victoria 1727

Jan Caspar Philips created this print of “Buste van Hugo de Groot gelauwerd door Victoria”, sometime before his death in 1775. Philips lived in an era where the Dutch Republic was transitioning from its Golden Age, grappling with its identity on the European stage. This print elevates Hugo de Groot, a key figure in Dutch history, through a classical allegorical style. The winged figure of Victoria crowns his bust with laurels, a symbolic gesture celebrating Groot's achievements. What interests me most is how Philips uses the visual language of heroism to cement Groot's place in the Dutch narrative. He was a key advocate for international law and the rights of states, at a time when the concept of sovereignty was still developing. What does it mean to memorialize him in such grand fashion? This work asks us to consider who gets remembered, and how their stories become foundational to a nation's sense of self. The cherubic figures studying at the base suggest that Groot’s legacy is meant to be learned from and carried forward.