Vaandels, standaarden en pauken veroverd door de Nederlanders tijdens de oorlog, 1713 1914

This 1713 print, made by Topografische Inrichting, presents a grid of flags and drums captured by the Dutch in battle. It’s an interesting piece because it’s not quite art, not quite documentation, but exists somewhere in between. It's not trying to be a realistic depiction of any of these items but more of a process of record keeping. The tight, precise linework is fascinating. It’s so meticulously rendered, with each flag and drum presented almost like a specimen, pinned to the page. The texture is all in the details: the crispness of the lines, the subtle shading that gives depth to the drums, the way each flag has its own unique pattern. There’s something about the obsessive quality of this work that’s really compelling. I like the way this is trying to categorize and codify something that is inherently chaotic. War. Thinking about this print makes me think of Hilla and Bernd Becher, the photographers who methodically documented industrial structures. Just as they created a typology of water towers and factories, this print presents a typology of war trophies.