Servet met de inname van Rijssel door Eugenius van Savoye after 1708

This linen napkin depicts the Capture of Lille by Prince Eugene of Savoy. Though created by an anonymous artist, this object invites us to consider the intersection of celebration, commemoration, and domestic life. The imagery woven into the fabric likely served to reinforce the owner's political leanings, as well as to commemorate a significant military victory. Lille was a major city in what was then the Spanish Netherlands. The capture of the city in 1708 was a major victory for the Dutch Republic during the War of the Spanish Succession. The detailed scenes and heraldic symbols suggest an attempt to not just record history, but perhaps also enshrine a sense of national pride, and comment on the cultural and political identity of the Dutch Republic. Everyday objects like this napkin were sometimes used to promote political and national ideas.