Marrying the city, mothering the country : gender and visual conventions in Johannes Bochius's account of the Joyous entry of the Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabella into Antwerp

Author

Thøfner, Margit

Document type

Article (journal)

Language

English

Source

Oxford art journal. 1999, Num. 1, Vol. 22, p. 1-27, 185, 12 ill.

ISSN

0142-6540

Abstract (en)

The central premise of this article is that changes in visual conventions may have very specific, political motivations. The article discusses six highly unusual illustrations from Johannes Bochius's Historia narratio profectionis et inavgvrationis...Alberti et Isabellae... (Antwerp, 1602). These illustrations are unusual because they locate temporary, festival architecture within the permanent fabric of the city of Antwerp. The article argues that this was part of a political strategy adopted by Bochius on behalf of the Antwerp magistrature. Throughout the Joyous Entry, the sovereignty of Isabella [Isabella Clara Eugenia] was privileged over that of her archducal husband and co-sovereign, for the city sought to exploit Isabella's status as a member of the 'peace-making sex'. Hence, by subtle, visual means, the city of Antwerp projected a peculiarly, gendered ideal of sovereignty. Isabella was to be a gentle, 'feminine' ruler who would engage visually and physically with her new subject city: like the festival architecture, she should become part of Antwerp. [The text consists of 500 folio pages. Several authors contributed to Bochius's text. The description of the 1599 entry into Antwerp is the only part of the book to be illustrated, containing 28 images by an unknown engraver after designs by Joos de Momper the Younger].

Subject (en)

• General history of art -- 1400-1800 -- Pictorial arts -- Prints and illustration -- Belgium
• Festival books
• Belgium
• Antwerpen (BEL)
• Isabella Clara Eugenia, infanta of Spain, governor of the Spanish Netherlands, 1566-1633
• Iconography
• 1602
• Momper, Joos de, the younger, 1564-1635
• Engraving
• Entries
• Albrecht VII, Erzherzog von Österreich, governor of the Spanish Netherlands, 1559-1621
• Gender (sex)
• Festivals
• Architecture
• Bochius, Johannes, 1555-1609
• Writings
• Prints

Subject (fr)

• Histoire générale de l'art -- 1400-1800 -- Peinture et arts graphiques -- Estampe et illustration -- Belgique
• Livre de fête
• Belgique
• Antwerpen (BEL)
• Isabella Clara Eugenia, infante d'Espagne, gouvernante des Pays-Bas, 1566-1633
• Iconographie
• 1602
• Momper, Joos de, le Jeune, 1564-1635
• Burin
• Entrée
• Albrecht VII, Erzherzog von Österreich, vice-roi des Pays-Bas, 1559-1621
• Sexe (catégorie)
• Fête
• Architecture
• Bochius, Johannes, 1555-1609
• Ecrits
• Estampe

Origin

DatabaseBHA (Inist-CNRS/GRI)

Identifier19990701-00207417

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