België uitgebuit door verschillende landen, 1831 1831

Paulus Poelman made this print titled 'Belgium exploited by various countries' in 1831. At its center, we see a turkey, adorned with a Phrygian cap and a blue coat, led by a motley crew of figures. The turkey is an allegory of Belgium, burdened by the desires of other nations. The Phrygian cap is a symbol of freedom and revolution, yet here, it seems ironically placed. This harks back to antiquity, where similar caps signified liberation from servitude. The act of leading the animal can be traced back to ancient processions, where sacrificial animals were paraded before slaughter. Here, the procession is a symbolic exploitation. The faces of the characters pulling the animal reflect an array of emotions, from avarice to indifference, each revealing a layer of the complex power dynamics at play. This symbolic imagery has roots in archaic rituals, yet it resurfaces, evolving into a commentary on contemporary political machinations.