Historische optocht bij het tweede eeuwfeest van de Utrechtse Hogeschool, 1836 (plaat 2) 1837

Victor Adam created this print in 1836, commemorating the bicentennial of Utrecht University. It depicts a historical procession, a deliberate staging of the past. But whose history is being celebrated here? Note the figures on horseback, rendered with meticulous detail. The attire, the bearing, speaks of status, of power. The uniforms are a clear marker of social standing, of belonging to a certain elite. In the 19th century, such displays reinforced a rigid social hierarchy, where access to education and positions of authority were largely confined to a privileged class. Who was excluded from this vision of history? Where are the voices of those who did not have the luxury to participate in such pomp? Consider the role of the university itself. A place of knowledge, yes, but also a gatekeeper. This image invites us to consider the relationship between education, power, and historical narrative, and asks us to question what perspectives are left out of the frame.