Nieuwjaarswens van de nachtwacht van Haarlem voor het jaar 1849 1848 - 1849

This 1848-49 lithograph, titled "Nieuwjaarswens van de nachtwacht van Haarlem voor het jaar 1849," is a New Year's greeting for the citizens of Haarlem, Netherlands. The artwork depicts two night watchmen, or "nachtwacht," traditionally tasked with protecting a city, with one presenting a scroll or document to the other. The title and the accompanying poem in Dutch, likely written by a member of the night watch, celebrate the new year and reflect on the events of the previous year. This piece, now held in the Rijksmuseum, is a prime example of 19th-century Dutch political and social commentary through art.