De zelfopoffering van burgemeester Pieter van der Werff, 1574 1818 - 1876

Carel Christiaan Antony Last’s 1818-1876 lithograph, "De zelfopoffering van burgemeester Pieter van der Werff, 1574," depicts a historical scene of Pieter Adriaanszoon van der Werff, the mayor of Leiden, sacrificing himself to save the city from Spanish forces during the Siege of Leiden in 1574. The composition focuses on van der Werff standing in the middle of a crowded street, extending his arms towards the Spanish soldiers and the starving citizens of Leiden. Last masterfully utilizes a combination of light and shadow to create a sense of drama and tension, capturing the despair of the people and the stark reality of their situation. This piece is a powerful testament to the courage of van der Werff and the resilience of the Dutch people during the Eighty Years’ War.