Perseus and Andromeda. Allegory of the liberation of the Netherlands by Prince Frederik Hendrik
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I of England, visited the Republic in 1642–1643. The occasion was the delivery of her daughter Mary Stuart, who had recently married the 15-year-old Prince William II at the age of 10. At the same time, she sought financial support, pledging the crown jewels for the English king's war against the English Parliament. <BR />Frederick Henry supported the king; the States-General supported the Parliament. <BR />The scene depicted here was designed as one of the tableaux vivants for the reception of the queen in Amsterdam. Here, Frederick Henry (Perseus) is besieged by the fire-breathing Spanish tyranny, from which he liberated the Netherlands (Andromeda). <BR />This tableau was intended for the Damrak. Since the queen entered the city by land, it was never executed.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
