But things could have been worse. Grotius’ mentor Oldenbarnevelt was sentenced to death, much to his own surprise. The sentence was carried out, by beheading, on 13 May 1619. This print by Claes Jansz. Visscher, a staunch Calvinist, is as politically motivated as the trial against Oldenbarnevelt and Grotius. The print shows the execution at the court of Holland – this and all the other buildings are explicitly identified: the court of Maurice, the court church and the great hall. All of these suggest authority and validity and support Visscher’s argument that this, as the title also states, is a lawful sentence and a lawful execution.
C.J. Visscher (1587-1652), The execution of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, print, 1619