Artwork
Law of War and Peace
Law of War and Peace is an ink print by the Baroque artist Romeyn de Hooghe. It dates from 1670 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Law of War and Peace is a late 17th-century etching on laid paper by Romeyn de Hooghe, a versatile Dutch Baroque artist. Created circa 1670, this print exemplifies his ability to merge narrative depth with technical skill.
Subject & Meaning
Contrasting elements—a prone soldier to the left and an observing woman to the right—underscore the duality of war and peace.
The etching depicts a symbolic scene with three central figures on a platform: one holding a book (likely representing law or knowledge), another listening intently, and a third kneeling below, reaching upwards. A winged figure above grasps a palm branch, symbolizing peace. Contrasting elements—a prone soldier to the left and an observing woman to the right—underscore the duality of war and peace. The composition illustrates a concept from a contemporaneous book on the subject.
Technique & Style
De Hooghe utilized fine etching lines to achieve detailed shading and texture, lending a near-three-dimensional quality to the figures. This technique, characteristic of Baroque printmaking, involved engraving designs into metal plates using acid and needles.
History & Provenance
Created around 1670, this etching was designed to illustrate a book titled *Law of War and Peace*. While the book's author and the print's subsequent ownership history are not specified here, the work reflects De Hooghe's active engagement with the visual and intellectual currents of his era.
Context
Law of War and Peace situates itself within the broader European Baroque tradition, marked by dramatic lighting, intense emotion, and complex composition. De Hooghe's multifaceted career as a painter, sculptor, engraver, and caricaturist positioned him at the intersection of various artistic practices of the late 17th century.
Legacy
As a print designed for book illustration, *Law of War and Peace* contributed to the dissemination of ideas on war and peace through accessible, mass-producible etchings. Its legacy lies in both its representation of Baroque artistic values and its role in illustrating philosophical or legal texts of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Romeyn de Hooghe (bapt. 10 September 1645 – 10 June 1708) was a late Dutch Baroque painter, sculptor, engraver and caricaturist.
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