De bestorming van Den Briel in 1872 1872

This anonymous print, titled “The Storming of Den Briel in 1872”, commemorates a key event in the Netherlands’ revolt against Spanish rule. It was made in 1872. The image shows an idealized version of the capture of the city of Brielle by the Dutch rebels, known as "Watergeuzen", in 1572. Prints like this played a significant role in shaping national identity and collective memory in the 19th-century Netherlands. The “Storming of Den Briel” became a symbol of Dutch courage and resistance against foreign oppression. Note the banners carried by the figures in the foreground. The word "Syllabus" on one of the banners refers to the Syllabus of Errors, published by Pope Pius IX in 1864, condemning modern ideas such as liberalism and freedom of speech. The choice to include this banner suggests a link between the historical struggle for independence and contemporary political and religious debates in the Netherlands. Historians examine a wide range of sources, from official records and personal letters to visual representations and popular culture, to better understand art’s complex relationship to the society that produced it.