A detailed historical etching by Willem Steelink (I) depicting the political expulsion of the Amsterdam city council during the 1578 Alteratie.

This etching by Willem Steelink (I) depicts a significant moment in Dutch history: the Alteratie of Amsterdam on 26 May 1578. This event marked the transition of the city from Catholic to Protestant governance during the Dutch Revolt. The composition captures the expulsion of the Catholic city council, a political shift that aligned Amsterdam with the Prince of Orange and the broader rebellion against Spanish rule.

Steelink employs a dramatic, theatrical approach to the scene. The figures are arranged in a central group, with the displaced officials shown in a state of forced departure. The architecture of the city serves as a backdrop, providing a sense of place and period. The artist uses fine lines and cross-hatching to create depth and texture, particularly in the clothing of the figures and the stone structures. The lighting is managed to draw the eye toward the central interaction, while the surrounding crowd adds a sense of public observation and tension.

As a nineteenth-century interpretation of a sixteenth-century event, the work reflects the period's interest in national identity and historical narrative. Steelink was a skilled printmaker, and his ability to render complex historical scenes with clarity made his work popular for educational and commemorative purposes. The print provides a window into how the nineteenth-century Dutch public visualised their own history, focusing on the political transformation that shaped the modern Netherlands. The attention to costume and architectural detail suggests a careful study of historical sources, typical of the academic approach to history painting during this era.