Allegorie op de Conventie, 1795 1795

Carel Frederik Bendorp created this print titled, "Allegorie op de Conventie," in 1795. The image allegorically depicts the Batavian Convention, the revolutionary assembly in the Netherlands during the period of French influence. The print’s visual codes offer insight into the cultural and political climate of the time. The broken Roman fasces at the base of the platform symbolize the collapse of the old order, while the figures, including Native Americans, suggest the broad constituency the Convention sought to represent. But the iconography of Liberty is complicated by the halos of angels above. Is this Dutch independence, or a new form of submission to a higher power? Prints like this were crucial in shaping public opinion, both for and against the new political order. They are invaluable resources for historians seeking to understand the social and institutional forces that shaped this pivotal moment in Dutch history.