Mary, Queen of Scots (from "Opgang, voortgang, en nedergang, der ketteryen deser eeuwe")

Art Historical Context

This etching, titled *Mary, Queen of Scots from the Dutch publication *Opgang, voortgang, en nederg, der ketteryen eeuwe* ("Rise, Progress, and Decline of the Heries of This Century"), the tragic 16th-century monarch in a posthumous portrait created over a century after her execution in 1587. Produced in 1690 by a collaborative team including engraver Gaspar Bouttats and designers Hendrik-Frans Verbrug and Florimond de Raemond possible design influence attributed to Mary herself—this print reflects late Baroque ornamental style, enriched by playful putti (cherubic figures) and angels that frame her regal likeness, evoking Catholic iconography amid Counter-Reformation themes. Etching allowed for intricate, expressive lines on the modest 11 13/16 × 7 1/4-inch sheet, ideal for disseminating dramatic historical narratives through prints. The series' focus on "heresies" likely positions Mary, a devout Catholic beheaded by Protestant Elizabeth I, as a martyr symbol, blending portraiture with allegory to stir devotion and controversy in a divided Europe. Today, this work resides in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, a gift from Susan Dwight Bliss in 1958. It invites visitors to ponder Mary's enduring allure—a queen whose beauty, ambition, and fate continue to inspire art across centuries.