Intocht van Dumouriez in Brussel, 1792 1792 - 1793

This anonymous print depicts Dumouriez's entry into Brussels in 1792. It offers insight into the entangled politics of the French Revolution and its reception beyond France. Made during a period of intense political upheaval, the print captures a specific moment: Dumouriez, a general of the French Revolutionary Army, being received by the magistrates of Brussels. The imagery suggests a narrative of liberation, yet the inscription hints at a more complex reality where the Belgians may not have regarded him as such. The city gate and the crowd create a stage for this political theater. To fully understand this image, we can look into the history of the Austrian Netherlands, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the dynamics between the French Republic and the territories it sought to "liberate". It prompts us to ask: What did liberation mean in this context? Whose interests were truly being served? By exploring such questions, we reveal the contingent nature of images like these and their role in shaping public opinion during times of revolutionary change.