Spotprent op alle zaken die door de nieuwe Staten-Generaal behandeld moeten worden, 1861 1861

This print, made in 1861 by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, presents a satirical view of the issues facing the new Dutch States-General. The entire composition is structured into three horizontal registers, each depicting a carriage procession pulled by horses. The drawing has an unfinished quality, only the outlines are visible, which emphasizes the linear elements of the structure. The carriages are overloaded with signs and symbolic objects representing various political and social concerns. The artist uses a semiotic system of signs and cultural codes, which are embedded in the visual components. Each carriage becomes a site of tension between the old and the new, the local and the global. Notice the bottom carriage, laden with issues such as ‘Slavery’ and ‘Roads.’ The artist cleverly uses the structure to critique and destabilize established meanings and values within Dutch society. The linear quality in the drawing emphasizes the structure and challenges fixed meanings, inviting ongoing interpretation.