Lijkplechtigheid bij de Bataven 1788 - 1790

Reinier Vinkeles made this print of a Batavian funeral in the late 18th or early 19th century. It depicts an imagined scene of the Batavians, an ancient tribe considered the ancestors of the Dutch, performing a funeral ritual with a horse sacrifice. The image reflects the cultural and political context of the Batavian Republic, a revolutionary government that sought to revive the perceived virtues of the ancient Batavians. The imagined scene is rendered in great detail, and it presents a romanticized view of the ancient tribe, who were seen as freedom-loving and virtuous. The print was produced during a time of political upheaval, as Dutch Patriots sought to overthrow the ruling House of Orange and establish a more democratic government. This print encourages us to consider the role of art in constructing national identity and how historical narratives can be used to legitimize political agendas. We can research the visual culture of the Batavian Republic and understand how artists and intellectuals contributed to the creation of a new national identity.