Plate 64: The magistrates of the city of Brussels marching in the funeral procession of Archduke Albert of Austria; from 'Pompa Funebris ... Alberti Pii'

Art Historical Context

This evocative etching, *Plate 64: The magistrates of the city of Brussels marching in the funeral procession of Archduke Albert of Austria*, captures a solemn moment from the grand 1621 obsequies for the Habsburg ruler, part of the lavish series *Pompa Funebris ... Alberti Pii*. Created in 1623 by architect-engraver Jacques Francquart, who designed the funeral decorations, and master engraver Cornelis Galle I, it depicts Brussels' civic leaders in formal procession, accompanied by horses and fluttering flags. These prints immortalized the opulent Baroque ceremonies honoring Archduke Albert, co-sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, blending mourning with imperial splendor. Francquart and Galle's etching technique, enriched by delicate hand coloring, allowed precise reproduction of intricate details—from embroidered robes to heraldic banners—making the series a visual chronicle accessible beyond the elite attendees. Measuring about 10 by 15 inches, this plate exemplifies "prints-fête," a genre celebrating public spectacles, and highlights the era's fusion of politics, piety, and pageantry. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1960), it offers a window into 17th-century European court culture, where city magistrates publicly affirmed loyalty to Habsburg power amid religious and dynastic tensions. A testament to printmaking's role in preserving history!

About the Artist

Jacques Francquart|Cornelis Galle I (French|French) · 1577 |1577 –1651 |1651

French, Brussels 1577–1651 Brussels|French, Brussels 1577–1651 Brussels