Reiziger en zijn page komen de herberg binnen 1823 - 1869

Charles Billoin made this print, "Traveler and his page entering the inn", in the Netherlands, most likely in the mid-19th century. It depicts a common scene of the era: a well-to-do traveler arriving at a humble inn with his servant. The image creates meaning through a clear visual contrast between the traveler and the inn's inhabitants. Their clothing, posture, and the simple fact that one has a servant and the others do not, speaks volumes about the rigid social hierarchy of the time. It reflects the social and economic structures of 19th-century Netherlands, a society still grappling with the legacy of its colonial past and the rise of industrial capitalism. Understanding this print fully requires attention to the social history of the Netherlands, the role of inns as social spaces, and the visual codes that signified social status. Researching period literature, economic data, and even fashion history could provide a richer understanding of this seemingly simple scene.