De Unie van Utrecht: Is dit de toekomst?

This Dutch political print satirizes the 1913 parliamentary elections through the lens of the Union of Utrecht, the 16th-century alliance that founded the Dutch Republic. A bishop in ceremonial robes extends an enormous cape toward two military officers—one in white (representing ecclesiastical interests), one in uniform (representing militarism)—while crowds gather before a cathedral. The caption asks: "Is this the future?"

The print belongs to the tradition of European political satire descended from Hogarth and Gillray, warning citizens about dangerous political alliances. The wood engraving technique and symbolic staging typical of Bilderbogen (German picture-sheets widely distributed across Northern Europe) made such commentary accessible to ordinary voters. The work reflects anxieties about clerical and military power in secular democratic governance—a central debate of early 20th-century Dutch politics.