Tekstblad bij de prent van de Zeeslag bij Doggersbank, 1781 1828 - 1834

This is a printed text leaf, made anonymously in 1781. It relates to an image of the naval Battle of Dogger Bank. The print is an example of the politics of imagery, telling the story of Dutch heroism at sea. The account describes the heroic actions of the Argo, a Dutch frigate armed with only 44 guns, against two English ships, one of which had 74 guns. The text emphasizes Dutch tenacity in the face of English aggression. Produced during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, this leaf would have been a piece of propaganda, designed to boost national morale. To understand this print, we need to know about the Anglo-Dutch wars, and about the institutions that shaped public opinion in the Netherlands at the time. Art history can do more than just describe images. It provides the social and political context.