Lied bij het bezoek van Napoleon aan Amsterdam, 1811 1811

This broadside ballad, made in the Netherlands, likely in the early 19th century, presents a popular song about a 'verliefde boerin', or 'loving farmer's wife'. Such printed songs offer a revealing glimpse into the social and cultural life of the time. The lyrics here tell a story of a country girl who adopts city fashions in order to attract suitors, offering a window into the preoccupations and aspirations of ordinary people. The text hints at the tensions between rural and urban life, and the allure of modernity. To understand this artifact better, one could delve into archives of popular culture, such as song collections and printed ephemera, alongside studies of fashion and social customs in the Netherlands during the period of French influence. By doing so, we can appreciate the song not just as entertainment, but as a reflection of the social and cultural landscape.