Tweede slede 1776

This delicate pencil drawing of a parade sledge comes to us from Nicolaas van der Worm, who was born in the mid-eighteenth century. At that time, the Dutch Republic was a society deeply invested in both its republican ideals and its colonial wealth. A drawing like this offers a glimpse into the rituals of the elite, hinting at the ways they fashioned themselves through costume and spectacle, and the implicit class distinctions such performances reinforced. Note the attire of the figures – the Romanesque helmets, the ornamented sledge, and the adorned horses. This neoclassical imagery, popular at the time, served as a deliberate nod to the grandeur of past empires, lending a sense of timeless prestige to those who could afford to participate in such displays. As you consider the drawing, think about how it reflects the complex interplay of identity, power, and cultural aspiration in the late 1700s.