Oproer te Hoorn, over de invoering van nieuwe accijnzen op het bier, in 1470 1747 - 1759

Jacob Folkema created this drawing, ‘Riot in Hoorn, over the introduction of new excise duties on beer, in 1470,’ using pen and brown ink and brush in gray ink. The drawing captures a bustling town square filled with figures amidst the architectural backdrop of Hoorn. The monochromatic palette emphasizes the stark lines and detailed textures of the buildings and the crowd. The composition is structured by the contrast between the ordered rows of houses and the chaotic assembly of people in the foreground. Folkema’s use of line to delineate each figure and architectural detail lends a sense of dynamism to the scene, while the strategic placement of darker ink washes draws our eye through the tumultuous event. The drawing could be viewed through the lens of semiotics, where the crowd's actions serve as a visual signifier of social unrest. The town square itself becomes a stage upon which the drama of resistance against authority is played out. The rigidity of the built environment juxtaposed with the disorder of the riot, can be interpreted as a critique of established power structures being destabilized by popular revolt.