Patriotse hemelvaart 1787 - 1788

Johann Heinrich Ramberg created this print, Patriotse hemelvaart, using etching, sometime between 1763 and 1840. The print satirizes the political turmoil in the Netherlands during the late 18th century. The image shows caricatured figures being thrown from a high wall into a safety net held by soldiers, and it refers to the Patriot movement, a political faction that sought to challenge the authority of the Stadtholder, William V, and establish a more democratic government. The figures being thrown represent the Patriots who were ousted from power when Prussian forces intervened to restore William V. The act of throwing them from the wall symbolizes their fall from power and the collapse of their political ambitions. Prints like this one offer a glimpse into the social and political debates of the time. They were often produced and circulated as a form of political commentary, reflecting and shaping public opinion during a period of great upheaval. To better understand the context of this image, we could examine period newspapers and political pamphlets, which would provide valuable insights into the social and institutional forces that shaped its creation.