Ballonvaart van Blanchard, 1807 1807

This 1807 watercolor by an anonymous artist depicts a hot air balloon, the "Ballonvaart van Blanchard," as it soars above a Dutch landscape. The artwork, currently located in the Rijksmuseum, likely served as a commemorative illustration for a popular song about the unfortunate flight of the balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard. The charmingly naive style captures the excitement and wonder of early hot air balloon travel, while the verses of the song below the image add further context to the event, offering a glimpse into the public's fascination with this nascent technology.