About a week before the Brabantsedag parade, Kees Buijsen, designer of our 2026 Rijten float, asked me to create a poster for the back of the float to fill an empty frame already built there. His only ask: could the visual convey the story that goes on “inside”?
The historical fact that inspired the float: Dina’s brothel in Breda, where she and her prostitutes deceived men, including soldiers stationed there for the war. Seducing them to steal their money, medals and clothing. This story mixed with our float’s atmosphere being heavily inspired by musicals, I thought of those famous silhouette-in-jail-cell posters from the Broadway show Chicago.
Dina’s brothel was named the “Cologne Cathedral”. So instead of prison bars, I drew a church window. Visually they’re basically the same anyway.
As with all things Brabantsedag, it was fun playing around with theatrical imagery. Just in 2D this time. I painted it on A3 paper, then Tableaux printed a scan of it on 100cmx50cm. Merci Mark Damen for the quick help!
Float built and performed by Vriendenkring De Rijten
