De Hollandse tol, 1814 Possibly 1814 - 1816

This hand-colored etching, titled "De Hollandse tol" (The Dutch Toll) by Charles Williams, is a satirical depiction of a scene set in a Dutch home. The artwork, likely created between 1814 and 1816, portrays a woman wielding a stick while a man attempts to escape through a door. The visual humor, with its exaggerated characters and playful tone, speaks to the artist's interest in capturing everyday life and social commentary. The scene is likely a commentary on the Dutch people's perception of their government and the toll they were forced to pay. It is a work that exemplifies the genre of satirical prints, popular in the 19th century, and can be found today in the Rijksmuseum.