Man en vrouw stappen bij een gezelschap in een boot met huif 1862 - 1908

Piet Verhaert made this print of people boarding a boat with a canopy, but when exactly? The artwork is undated, but we know that the artist was working in Belgium in the late 19th and early 20th century. The historical genre was popular in the 19th century. Artists looked to the past to create a sense of national identity and to legitimize the present. Looking at the dress of the figures, Verhaert seems to be referencing the 16th century, a time of great political and religious upheaval in the Low Countries. By representing figures dressed in the fashion of the 16th century, he might be making a comment on the political situation in Belgium in his own time. To fully understand this image, we could look at the history of fashion and the history of political movements in Belgium in the 19th century. The social and institutional context helps us to understand its meaning and significance.