Two ‘walking sticks’ of Van Oldenbarnevelt

anonymous, 1600 - 1625

The elderly statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was supposed to have used one of these walking sticks to support himself as he climbed the scaffold on May 13 1619 to be beheaded. He had been condemned to death after a political trial. In the previous twenty years, he had been one of the driving forces in the young Dutch Republic. The sticks were preserved as relics. In 1657 Vondel wrote a moving poem about one of them.

  • Artwork typewalking stick, rotting
  • Object numberNG-NM-548
  • Dimensionsheight 96 cm x diameter 4 cm
  • Physical characteristicshout, ivoor, ijzer

Identification

  • Title(s)

    Two ‘walking sticks’ of Van Oldenbarnevelt

  • Object type

  • Object number

    NG-NM-548

  • Description

    Houten wandelstok met onbewerkte, bolvormige ivoren knop en een ijzeren punt.

Creation

  • Creation

    maker: anonymous, Noord-Nederland

  • Dating

    1600 - 1625

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    hout, ivoor, ijzer

  • Dimensions

    height 96 cm x diameter 4 cm

This work is about

  • Person

  • Subject

  • Period

    1555 - 1648

Acquisition and rights

Documentation

Persistent URL

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