Spotprent op Lodewijk Napoleon, 1806 1806

This hand-coloured etching is an anonymous satirical print of Louis Bonaparte from 1806. We see two figures, presumably King Louis of Holland and his son Napoleon Louis, smoking pipes. The composition exaggerates their forms, reducing their status and grandeur. The artist uses scale to undermine the figures' authority. Louis, crowned but slovenly, is made to look ridiculous by his oversized body. The word "Pigtail" on his pocket might point to an outdated style, suggesting backwardness. Notice how the figures are seated on barrels marked with trade goods, and the frogs which might refer to the French. The image is not just a portrait but a semiotic field, where signs and symbols converge to create a critical commentary. Through formal elements like scale, caricature, and symbolic objects, the print challenges the authority of its subjects. This piece uses visual language to engage in a broader political discourse.