Plate 36: Men with heraldic flags and horses from Zutphen and Namur marching in the funeral procession of Archduke Albert of Austria; from 'Pompa Funebris ... Alberti Pii'

Art Historical Context

This striking etching captures a moment from the elaborate funeral procession of Archduke Albert of Austria, who died in 1621 after ruling the Spanish Netherlands. Created in 1623 as Plate 36 in the commemorative volume *Pompa Funebris ... Alberti Pii*, the print shows men from Zutphen and Namur carrying heraldic flags alongside caparisoned horses. These details highlight the regional loyalties and noble pageantry that marked Albert’s reign and death. The work reflects the grandeur of early Baroque court ceremonies, where such processions served both to honor the deceased and to reinforce political alliances. Jacques Francquart, who designed the series, and etcher Cornelis Galle I transformed the event into a lasting visual record, allowing viewers across Europe to witness its splendor long after the day itself. Etched with delicate lines and then hand-colored, the print combines the precision of reproductive printmaking with the vibrancy of painted banners and trappings. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, it offers a vivid glimpse into 17th-century rituals of power and remembrance.