Vers bij de spotprent op Willem V als half militair, half Bacchus, 1786 1786

"Vers bij de spotprent op Willem V als half militair, half Bacchus" is an anonymous satirical print created in 1786. The piece is a satirical poem criticizing the rule of Willem V, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic. The artwork, housed in the Rijksmuseum, takes the form of a broadside, a type of printed sheet with text and sometimes images. It measures 68 mm in height and 155 mm in width. The poem uses wordplay and allegory to depict Willem V as a weak and indecisive ruler who is more concerned with pleasure than with duty. This satirical artwork is a testament to the political climate in the Dutch Republic during the late 18th century.