Gedenkteken op de Dam in Amsterdam 1856 - 1876

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this print of the monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam sometime in the mid-19th century. This monument commemorates the Ten Days’ Campaign, an unsuccessful military expedition by the Netherlands against the newly independent Belgium in 1831. The print offers a glimpse into the political and cultural climate of the Netherlands during the 19th century, marked by nationalistic sentiments and the desire to maintain its colonial power. We see the monument as a symbol of Dutch national pride and military prowess, despite the ultimate failure of the campaign it commemorates. Consider how such monuments function as sites of collective memory, shaping national identity. Here, the monument becomes a stage upon which the narratives of nationhood, heroism, and sacrifice are played out, reinforcing a particular version of history. The print immortalizes this narrative, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of nationalism, and the complex relationship between memory, and identity.