De intocht van Maria de' Medici te Amsterdam in 1638 (plaat 7) 1638 - 1639

Jan Martszen de Jonge created this print titled "The Entry of Maria de' Medici into Amsterdam in 1638" which is now held at the Rijksmuseum. It captures a moment of staged royal pageantry, a propaganda spectacle designed to assert power and project an image of unity during a tumultuous period. De Jonge’s print invites us to consider the gendered dimensions of power in 17th-century Europe. Maria de' Medici, a queen mother and a powerful political figure in her own right, is at the center of this event. But what does it mean for a woman to navigate the male-dominated arenas of politics and diplomacy? The event was carefully orchestrated to convey a sense of legitimacy and authority, masking the underlying tensions and power struggles that characterized Maria’s life. The print is more than just a historical record; it’s a window into the complex interplay of gender, power, and representation in the early modern world. It reminds us that history is not just about grand narratives and sweeping events but also about the individual lives and experiences that shape them.