Staande Spaanse officier c. 1647 - 1648

This is "Standing Spanish Officer," an ink drawing by Gerard ter Borch II, created sometime in the 17th century. Ter Borch was a master of the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by unprecedented economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands. During this era, Spain and the Dutch Republic were engaged in the Eighty Years' War. This drawing provides a glimpse into the complex relationship between the two cultures, representing a figure who would have been seen as both a symbol of oppression and a subject of fascination. Ter Borch renders the officer with a certain detachment, neither glorifying nor demonizing him. Instead, he captures the officer’s proud stance with very simple lines. What does it mean to depict an enemy with such measured observation? Perhaps Ter Borch encourages us to consider the individual within the uniform, inviting a more nuanced understanding of identity and conflict.