De moord op Willem van Oranje, 1584 1722 - 1784

Simon Fokke's engraving depicts the assassination of William of Orange in 1584. The tight composition and stark contrast evoke a sense of immediacy and chaos, drawing us into the heart of the historical drama. The artist masterfully uses line to create depth and texture. Notice how the dense, cross-hatched lines form the architectural backdrop, contrasting sharply with the more open, fluid lines that depict the smoke and the figures in motion. Fokke's structural arrangement places the viewer at a disturbing vantage point, making us complicit witnesses to the act. In the lower foreground, the detailed rendering of clothing and weaponry invites scrutiny, yet these elements are destabilized by the energetic, almost frenzied lines that suggest movement and violence. The entire scene pulsates with conflicting energies—order versus chaos, stillness versus motion, life versus death. This artwork reminds us that history is not a fixed narrative but a dynamic and contested space, constantly reinterpreted through the artist's hand.