Amsterdam turned orange for the new Queen of the Netherlands

On September 6, 1898, Amsterdam turned orange. That was when 18-year-old Wilhelmina was inaugurated as Queen of the Netherlands in a packed Nieuwe Kerk. The day before, she had already made a celebratory tour of the city. This was naturally captured, including by Hobbe Smith.

Queen Wilhelmina was born on August 31, 1880, and was the fourth child of her father, Willem III, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg. She was her mother’s only child; Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont was Willem’s second wife. Two of her three older half-brothers, Willem and Maurits, had already died by the time she was born. When she was just four years old, the last remaining brother, Alexander, also passed away. She was Willem III’s only surviving child.

Died after a stroke

King Willem III’s health deteriorated sharply in the final years of his life. He was afraid he would be murdered in his sleep, suffered from diabetes and kidney disease, and had reportedly suffered a silent stroke. On Wilhelmina’s 10th birthday, he suffered another stroke. Barely three months later, the king was dead. With no male heirs left, Wilhelmina automatically became queen.

Called to the throne

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was lost, however. Only men were entitled to inherit the throne there. Since Wilhelmina was not eligible, Adolf of Nassau—born in what is now Germany—became Grand Duke of Luxembourg instead. As Wilhelmina was just 10 when her father died, her mother Emma took over as regent until Wilhelmina’s 18th birthday. Emma thus became the first female head of state in the Netherlands, albeit as regent. This lasted until August 31, 1898, when Wilhelmina was called to the throne.

Celebratory procession

Five days after her 18th birthday, Wilhelmina arrived in Amsterdam with her mother for her inauguration on September 6. The very next day, the people of Amsterdam presented her with a gift: the famous Golden Coach. She had arrived by train at Weesperpoort Station on September 5 and then made her way through the city in a procession. Flags hung from every building, and the entire city turned orange. From her coach, Wilhelmina waved and nodded graciously to the cheering crowds. Young and old lined the route, women waving handkerchiefs while men removed their caps and waved them in the air for the future queen.

A gift to the city

Hobbe Smith was there to capture the scene on behalf of P. Langerhuizen Lzn. The painting was a gift to the city of Amsterdam and is now stored in the depot of the Amsterdam Museum.

Esteemed artistic circle

Smith was a Frisian, born about 30 kilometers from the Frisian capital of Leeuwarden, in the village of Witmarsum. But, as was only natural, he ended up in Amsterdam at an early age. He studied under some of the finest artists of his time, including Pierre Cuypers, August Allebé, and Charles Verlat. He was also financially supported by Adrianus Daniel de Vries, the assistant director of the Rijksprentenkabinet. In 1888, he reportedly attended a painting class in Paris with Vincent van Gogh. Other artistic luminaries were also present, such as Paul Gauguin, Pierre Bonnard, and Ferdinand Hart Nibbrig.

Prosperous painter

Smith moved in the best circles and was himself a successful painter. He earned a living from his work, supported his family, and made enough money to afford a studio on Sarphatipark. But when he was 64, his career came to an end. Smith had to stop painting because he went blind. However, the demand for and appreciation of his work remained strong. He also trained well-known artists, including Henri van Braakensiek, Willem Kooiman, Herbert van der Poll, Loe Reelfs, and his own son, Johan Smith.

Gold medal

In 1917, he received a gold Royal Medal for his work. The medal was presented by none other than Queen Wilhelmina, whose procession he had painted nine years earlier—when the city turned orange.

Most famous painting

One of the most famous paintings of Wilhelmina’s procession was created by the Groningen artist Otto Eerelman. He was court painter and made several portraits and paintings of Wilhelmina. His work is titled *Het Frederiksplein te Amsterdam tijdens de intocht van koningin Wilhelmina, 5 september 1898* (*Frederiksplein in Amsterdam during the procession of Queen Wilhelmina, September 5, 1898*). He painted it on his own initiative, not on commission like Smith’s work, and the painting was later donated to the Rijksmuseum.

The Amsterdam Collection consists of thousands of artworks, publications, and objects housed in various museums and institutions. In the *De Collectie* series, we highlight an Amsterdam painting, print, drawing, or object from the Amsterdam Collection and provide context. This time: Intocht Koningin Wilhelmina in Amsterdam by Hobbe Smith.

Image: Amsterdam Museum and Rijksmuseum

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