The Swearing of the Oath of Ratification of the Treaty of Munster

Gerard ter Borch recorded a key moment in European history with this small painting of the Treaty of Münster oath ceremony on May 15, 1648. Dutch and Spanish delegates gather in Münster's town hall to swear the oath that ended eighty years of war and recognized Dutch independence. Despite its modest size, the painting includes over seventy individual portrait likenesses.

Ter Borch attended the peace congress as a young artist and gained permission to record this historic moment. His careful attention to the sober black costumes and individual faces creates an invaluable historical document. The painting's small scale reflects Dutch taste for cabinet pictures rather than monumental history painting. This work now hangs at the National Gallery in London.