Plate 41: Fireworks display in city square with Ferdinand watching from a balcony at right; from Guillielmus Becanus's 'Serenissimi Principis Ferdinandi, Hispaniarum Infantis...'

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant chaos of 17th-century revelry with *Plate 41* from Guillielmus Becanus's *Serenissimi Principis Ferdinandi, Hispaniarum Infantis*, an exquisite 1636 engraving by Johannes Meursius. This detailed print captures a dazzling fireworks display exploding over a bustling city square, filled with cheering crowds, ornate carriages, and towering buildings. At right, the honored guest—Ferdinand, the Spanish Infante—watches from a grand balcony, embodying the splendor of royal pageantry. Created during the Baroque era, when elaborate public fêtes celebrated political alliances and noble figures, this image likely commemorates a triumphant event honoring Ferdinand, a key Habsburg prince amid Europe's turbulent Thirty Years' War. Becanus's publication praised Ferdinand's virtues, using such vivid illustrations to glorify his status. Fireworks, a novel spectacle imported from Asia and perfected in Renaissance Europe, symbolized power and divine favor, drawing massive crowds to urban squares like this one. Meursius's engraving technique shines here, with fine lines rendering the pyrotechnic bursts, flickering lights, and teeming human figures in intricate detail—ideal for wide dissemination in books. Trimmed to 12 15/16 × 17 5/16 inches, this print from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection offers a window into the era's cultural extravagance, blending artistry with historical spectacle.