Spotprent op het ontbreken van Nederlandse pooltochten, 1875 1875

This is Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans's lithograph "Spotprent op het ontbreken van Nederlandse pooltochten," made in 1875. As other nations like Austria and England were mounting polar expeditions, the Netherlands was conspicuously absent. The cartoon depicts two Dutch explorers, Willem Barentsz and Jacob van Heemskerck, standing on a ridge overlooking a ship flying a foreign flag amidst icy peaks. Heemskerck gestures towards the scene with a look of disappointment. The text below translates to "Heemskerck to Barends: 'We must again see that the Netherlands cannot join in!'" The image serves as a commentary on Dutch national identity and pride. It highlights the Netherlands' failure to participate in the era's spirit of exploration and discovery. There is a sense of national embarrassment that the country, once a dominant maritime power, is now sidelined. The print embodies a mix of regret and perhaps a call to action, urging the Netherlands to reclaim its adventurous spirit.