Reproductie van een ontwerp van een monument voor de vrijmaking van de Schelde, door Jean-Jacques Winders before 1893

This is a reproduction of a monument design made by Römmler & Jonas, after Jean-Jacques Winders. This monument celebrates the freeing of the Schelde river, which had been closed to international shipping for centuries, particularly impacting Antwerp's economy. The image creates meaning through its classical architectural style, referencing triumphal arches and civic monuments of the past. Produced in Belgium, this design reflects the country's 19th-century aspirations for economic prosperity and national pride. Consider how the monument's proposed location in a public square underscores the public role of art in shaping collective memory. Its design speaks to the cultural and political values of the time. To understand this artwork better, historical research into the economic and political context of 19th-century Belgium, along with the history of Antwerp as a port city, would prove invaluable. Art history is always contingent on its social and institutional context.