A View of ye Grand Theatre & Fireworks erected on ye Water near ye Court at ye Hague (on Occasion of ye General Peace concluded at Aix la Chapelle. Oct. 18. 1748) & Exhibited June 13, 1749 1794

Robert Laurie created this print entitled "A View of ye Grand Theatre & Fireworks" around 1749. It depicts a public celebration in the Hague following the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. This artwork opens a window into the intricate dance between power, identity, and representation in 18th-century Europe. The fireworks display was designed not only to entertain, but also to project an image of power, wealth, and sophistication. The boats filled with onlookers highlight a society rigidly stratified by class, race, and gender. Laurie's print invites us to reflect on who is invited to the party, and who is not. How are such displays of national unity used to mask social divisions, and to promote particular narratives about a nation's identity and place in the world? It is a reminder that such events are never neutral, but always shaped by the complex interplay of social, cultural, and political forces.