Spotprent nav het traktaat tussen Nederland en Spanje over vrijheid van godsdienst, 1872 1872

Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans created this print in 1872, a commentary on the treaty between the Netherlands and Spain regarding freedom of religion. The print is divided into two panels, juxtaposing events from 1572 and 1872. On the left, we see Philip II of Spain questioning William of Orange about religious freedom. Philip's aggressive posture and the presence of what seems to be an execution taking place behind him, capture the religious intolerance of the time. On the right, representatives of the Netherlands and Spain shake hands over a treaty guaranteeing religious freedom. Crans uses this juxtaposition to highlight the evolution, or perhaps the painfully slow crawl, towards religious tolerance. The treaty represents a formal agreement, a paper promise of freedom. While it is progress, it also raises questions about how genuine these shifts in policy are.