Spotprent op de douaniers, 1813 1813

Jacob Smies’s satirical print “Spotprent op de douaniers” from 1813 depicts a group of customs officers. One officer is pointing to the ground while a small man picks up a large piece of wood. The caption translates to "Search, but you will search in vain for an ox," making fun of the officers’ futile search. The print satirizes the customs officers and their search for contraband, reflecting a period of social and economic turmoil in the Netherlands. The small scale of the work, measuring 130 mm by 195 mm, speaks to its creation as a mass-produced satirical print, which would have been widely circulated and viewed.