De Germaanse veldheer Arminius standvastig tegenover de Romeinen, ca. 10 1751 - 1799

Reinier Vinkeles created this etching of ‘The Germanic commander Arminius steadfast against the Romans’ around 1784. The print romanticizes Arminius, a first-century chieftain who led Germanic tribes to victory against the Roman Empire. Vinkeles made this print at a time of growing patriotism in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. By depicting Arminius as a noble and steadfast leader, Vinkeles appealed to a sense of shared cultural heritage, suggesting the importance of resisting foreign domination and celebrating local heroes. The image also subtly encouraged Dutch citizens to take pride in their own history and stand up for their rights. We can still feel the reverberations of his image today, in the way it stirs complex emotions relating to nationalism and what it means to celebrate a nation's heroes.