Koning Willem I spreekt met een boerin - Jean Baptiste Ambroise Marcellin Jobard

A nineteenth-century lithograph depicting King William I of the Netherlands in a humble domestic encounter with a peasant woman.

This lithograph by Jean Baptiste Ambroise Marcellin Jobard depicts a narrative scene featuring King William I of the Netherlands in a humble domestic setting. The composition captures a moment of interaction between the monarch and a peasant woman, who is seated while occupied with a bowl. Two small children are positioned on the floor near a simple wooden table, where the King sits in a plain chair. The interior is sparsely furnished, featuring a fireplace with basic kitchen items and a rifle hanging on the wall, which provides a sense of rural life.

Jobard, a Belgian lithographer and inventor, utilised the medium to convey a clear, anecdotal story. The print includes text beneath the image, which serves to clarify the interaction: the King instructs the woman to tell her husband to address him directly, promising that his former colonel will support the request. This type of genre scene was popular during the early nineteenth century, often used to humanise political figures by placing them in everyday, relatable environments. The technical execution demonstrates the precision of early lithographic processes, with fine hatching used to create shadow and texture across the stone. The scene avoids grandiosity, focusing instead on the social dynamic between the ruler and his subject. The inclusion of the date 1829 places this work during a period of political tension in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, shortly before the Belgian Revolution. The print functions as a visual record of the era's social hierarchies and the public image of the monarchy.