Gerard ter Borch (1617–1681), The Treaty of Münster, 1648

In his painting The Treaty of Münster, the Dutch painter Gerard ter Borch (1617–1681) depicted the signing of the peace treaty between Spain and the Netherlands in Münster town hall on 15 May 1648. To the left we can see the Dutch delegation, to the right that of Spain. On the table in front of them, which forms the centre of the painting, are placed two copies of the treaty. The painter also recorded his own presence at this event: his fair hair is worn shoulder-length and he is dressed in grey, standing at the far left of the painting and gazing out at the viewer. He thereby both underscores his own presence as an eyewitness and his painting's status as a historical document.

Gerard ter Borch (1617–1681), The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster, oil on copper, 45.4 cm × 58.5 cm, 1648; source: Rijksmuseum, https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/SK-C-1683, public domain.