Opstand van Civilis tegen de Romeinen, 69-70 1725 - 1784

Simon Fokke made this etching of the Revolt of the Batavi against the Romans sometime in the 18th century. It shows a banquet in the woods, lit by hanging lanterns, where Civilis incites the Batavian leaders to rebel against Roman rule. Fokke was Dutch, so for him, Civilis would have been a patriotic hero resisting foreign occupation. But the image itself is interesting because it's not just a straightforward celebration of Dutch courage. It has a critical edge to it. The banquet is taking place in secret. Civilis wasn't some peasant revolutionary. This was an elite conspiracy plotted by the wealthy. And here, the artist may have wanted to make a comment on the social structures of his own time. In the 18th century, the Netherlands was ruled by a small class of wealthy merchants, and like any good historian, Fokke seems to be suggesting we look closely at who actually benefits from social upheaval. Researching the history of the Dutch Republic may shed light on the intended meaning of the image.