Allegorie op de roemrijke geschiedenis van Nederland 1790 - 1807

Willem Kok created this print, *Allegory on the Glorious History of the Netherlands*, using etching. He worked during a period of political upheaval and cultural change as the Dutch Republic struggled with internal divisions and external pressures from other European powers. This allegorical depiction embodies the complex relationship between national pride and colonial enterprise during the late 18th century. The central female figures, representing the Netherlands, are surrounded by symbols of commerce, art, and military strength. But there is an undercurrent here, a tension. The figures at the bottom, partially obscured, appear to be non-European people, possibly enslaved. The image promotes a narrative of Dutch glory, but the cost of such ‘glory’ is the exploitation and oppression of others. Kok asks us to consider the weight of history, the narratives we choose to celebrate, and the voices we often exclude. How do we reconcile the beauty and grandeur of this image with the uncomfortable truths it reveals?