The Princes Maurits and Frederik Hendrik of Orange at the horse fair in Valkenburg

The prototype, signed and dated 1618, on panel, 55.5 x 134.5 cm, is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (L.J. Bol, Adriaen van de Venne, 1989, p.46, fig.30). The unusual wide format of the picture, allowed Van de Venne to depict countless kermis events throughout the background: a quack, a man with performing dogs and an organ grinder. Viewers, vendors and buyers, farmers, ratcatchers and elegant townsfolk are all gathered together on the horse fair, with the Princely procession as the main event.