Vlaggen van de marine van de Bataafse Republiek, 1796 1796

Hendrik Roosing made this watercolor of flags of the Batavian Republic in 1796. This was a revolutionary state, a client republic of France and successor to the Republic of the United Netherlands. Flags such as these were more than mere emblems, they were potent symbols in a rapidly changing political landscape. Note the allegorical figures on the flags, a lion and a woman, symbols of power, authority, and of course, the Dutch nation. The flags in the image, and their display on naval vessels, are a direct assertion of national identity. They were a way of showing off the Batavian Republic's presence on the world stage. But the new Republic was controversial and short-lived. Visual records like this provide valuable documents for historians. The study of flags, or vexillology, helps us to consider the meaning of art as something contingent on social and institutional context. You can research more about this fascinating topic in libraries, archives, and digital collections.