Echtpaar Jetten met gasten op een rivierboot 1925 - 1927

This photograph captures the Jetten couple with guests on a riverboat, its origins and the artist now lost to time. The flag of the Netherlands prominently adorns the stern, its tricolor a symbol of national identity and colonial reach, especially relevant in a riverboat setting. The flag, a potent emblem, reappears throughout history. From ancient Roman standards to medieval banners, it served to unify and distinguish groups, evolving from simple markers to complex displays of power. Think of its psychological resonance; the colors and patterns acting as immediate triggers of loyalty, fear, or pride, evoking primal emotions. In our time, this flag’s appearance can evoke varied responses, from national pride to critical scrutiny of its colonial past. Such symbols never truly fade but resurface, their meanings constantly renegotiated in the ever-flowing river of history.