Titelpagina van: Tafereel eener Ontvlugting van Drie Scheveningsche Visschers, met een bootje uit Engeland naar Holland, in januarij van den jare 1781 1831

This is Johannes Christiaan Bendorp's title page, made with etching, for a depiction of three fishermen from Scheveningen escaping from England to Holland in January 1781. The image provides us with insight into the fraught relationship between England and the Dutch Republic during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War. Scheveningen was one of the biggest fishing villages in the Netherlands, and the etching gives us a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people caught up in this conflict. Bendorp’s scene shows the fishermen struggling against rough seas, while the Dutch flag on their boat signals defiance and hope. Was the image meant as propaganda, designed to stoke patriotism, or did it offer a more nuanced commentary on the impact of war on everyday life? By looking at other historical sources, we can gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of those affected. This etching reminds us that art is always embedded in specific historical circumstances.