The Triumvirate Assuming Power on behalf of the Prince of Orange, 21 November 1813
by PIENEMAN, Jan Willem, Oil on canvas, 70 x 86,5 cm
In 1813 the period of French rule came to an end, and the Netherlands recovered its independence. It was decided that the Northern and Southern Netherlands should be amalgamated into a single kingdom, as a buffer against France, with the Prince of Orange as King William I.
In order to assume the power relinquished by the French in 1813, a three-man provisional government was formed on behalf of the Prince of Orange under Gijsbert Karel van Hogendorp, who is shown sitting at the table. Standing next to him is the military governor of The Hague, Count van Limburg Stirum. The third member of the triumvirate, A.FJ.A. van der Duyn van Maasdam, was not actually present on that occasion, but Pieneman included him anyway: he is shown standing behind Van Hogendorp.