Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1870 (plaat 3) 1870

Gerardus Johannes Bos created this lithograph entitled ‘Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1870’ in 1870. The artwork's strength lies in its linear precision and balanced composition. The parade scene is rendered with sharp, clean lines, and its colour palette consists of primary reds and yellows, accented by muted greys and blues. The composition is structured into distinct, rhythmic segments from left to right: horses with handlers, leading up to a decorated carriage featuring seated figures. Bos uses colour and form not just to depict but to subtly convey the character of the event. The pageantry suggests a staged spectacle, carefully structured for symbolic display rather than spontaneous expression. The artwork then, becomes a study in constructed identity and performative representation. Its arrangement echoes formal processionals, inviting us to consider how such events embody and transmit cultural values.