Nele leunt uit het raam, wachtend op Tijl Uilenspiegel

About this artwork

Prent uit: Coster, Charles de. La légende et les aventures héroiques, joyeuses et glorieuses d'Ulenspiegel et de Lamme Goedzak (...). Tweede editie. Parijs: Librairie Internationale, 1869, p. 122.

Art Historical Context

In the etching *Nele leunt uit het raam,end op Tijl Uilenspiegel* (Nele Leans Out the Window, for Tijl Uilenspiegel), created by Belgian artist Camille Van Camp in1868, we see a tender moment of anticipation. Measuring 241 mm high by 159 mm wide, this intimate print captures Nele, a devoted character from Charles de Coster's epic *La légende et les aventures héroiques, joyeuses et glorieuses d'Ulenspiegel et de Lamme Goedzak*, leaning from a window in longing for her beloved Tijl Uilenspiegel. Published as an illustration on page 122 of the book's second edition (Paris: Librairie Internationale, 1869), it evokes the story's blend of romance, humor, and heroism. De Coster's 1868 novel, a cornerstone of Belgian literature, reimagines the medieval trickster Till Eulenspiegel (Tijl Uilenspiegel) as a symbol of Flemish resistance against Spanish oppression in the 16th century. Van Camp's work, from a era of rising Belgian nationalism post-independence (1830), visually amplifies this cultural myth, making the characters accessible through printed books during a time when illustrated literature flourished. As an etching—an intaglio technique where acid etches fine lines into a metal plate for rich, detailed ink transfer—Van Camp's print exemplifies 19th-century precision in book illustration. Its small scale suited mass production, democratizing art and storytelling for everyday readers, while preserving the emotional depth of de Coster's prose. A charming window into Romantic-era folklore!