De Revolutie, decoratie op het Koningsplein, 1795 1795

A. Verkerk’s print from 1795 depicts a temporary monument on the Koningsplein celebrating the Batavian Revolution. This construction bursts with symbolic meaning, the most prominent of which are the flags of revolution. Note how they are not merely decorative, but speak to the core values of the era. Flags, banners, and emblems have always been potent symbols that transcend time and space, becoming vessels for cultural memory. Think of the Roman standards or medieval heraldry, symbols that rally people, embodying collective identity and aspirations. Observe the central allegory: a seated figure with a Phrygian cap. This cap, reminiscent of antiquity, recurs throughout history as a symbol of freedom. From the Roman Republic, where it was worn by freed slaves, to the French Revolution, where it became a defining emblem of liberty. It evokes intense emotional states, the collective yearning for liberation. These non-linear, cyclical progressions of symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, illustrating the enduring human quest for freedom.