Fragment van vaandel van de negende afdeling infanterie c. 1820s

Jan Willem Pieneman created this fragment of a flag for the ninth infantry division, though the exact date is unknown. Flags, as symbols of national identity and military prowess, carry immense socio-political weight. They visually represent the state, its values, and its ambitions. Pieneman, active in the Netherlands during a period of nation-building and colonial expansion, was a key figure in visually constructing Dutch identity. He also painted the famous painting, ‘The Battle of Waterloo, 1824’. The fragmented nature of the flag speaks to the vicissitudes of history, the battles fought, and the shifting allegiances of nations. The crown and other decorative elements reflect the visual codes of monarchy and military authority prevalent at the time. Understanding this artwork requires looking at the historical context, studying military records, and analyzing the visual language of flags. This fragment of cloth invites us to consider how art serves to define and reinforce social structures, and how the study of art can reveal those structures.