Mishandeling van de schout H.A. Kreet te Rotterdam tijdens een Orangistisch oproer, januari 1785 Possibly 1785 - 1801

Jacobus Buys created this drawing, “Mishandeling van de schout H.A. Kreet te Rotterdam tijdens een Orangistisch oproer, januari 1785,” which translates to "The Abuse of Sheriff H.A. Kreet in Rotterdam during an Orangist Riot, January 1785,” using pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash. The drawing plunges us into the tumultuous political landscape of the Dutch Republic in the late 18th century. Here, Buys depicts the very real violence inflicted upon Sheriff Kreet, a symbol of authority, during an Orangist riot. Notice the raw emotion, the physical struggle, and the palpable sense of chaos and disorder. Buys’ drawing serves as a visual record, capturing the emotional and political temperature of a society on the brink of transformation. It humanizes a moment of political upheaval. In the scene we see the sheriff lying defenseless on the ground, while his attackers tower over him, their faces contorted with anger and aggression. The drawing doesn’t just show us an event; it invites us to reflect on the human cost of political division, the fragility of power, and the enduring struggle for justice and equality.