Triomftocht door de bevrijders van Griekenland 1829 - 1835

Karl Loeillot-Hartwig created this print, "Triumphal entry of the liberators of Greece," at a time when Europe was in the throes of Romanticism and deeply invested in the idea of national liberation. The print depicts soldiers on horseback, celebrated by a crowd, against a backdrop of classical architecture. It reflects the broader European fascination with ancient Greece, a touchstone for ideas of democracy and freedom. But the Greek War of Independence, which began in 1821, was not simply a narrative of liberation. It was entangled with European powers' strategic interests and interventions. Looking at the enthusiastic crowd, it's worth asking: Whose voices are amplified in this narrative of liberation, and whose are silenced? How do images like this shape our understanding of historical events and national identities? This work invites us to consider the complex layers of history, power, and representation that shape our understanding of freedom and heroism.