Deze vyf zyn Spaansche heeren, / Zoo als men zien kan aan hun kleeren (...) 1836 - 1849

This print presents a series of figures, delineated with fine lines and minimal color, likely created to compare and contrast different military figures. The composition is rigidly structured: two rows of five figures, each standing on a small plinth. The Spanish figures at the top are distinguished from the Dutch army below through costume, each uniform defined by shape and a simple code of blue and red color washes. The artist emphasizes a semiotic system to differentiate the two armies, using specific colors and shapes as signs. The work engages with questions of national identity and representation, using the visual language of clothing and military bearing. In doing so, it invites a decoding of these visual signifiers within their socio-political context. Ultimately, the print demonstrates how visual distinctions articulate differences in power and cultural identity, reflective of ongoing interpretive cultural discourses.