Francesco I d'Este Sustains Himself While on His War Campaign, from L'Idea di un Principe ed Eroe Cristiano in Francesco I d'Este, di Modena e Reggio Duca VIII [...] 1659

Editor: Here we have Bartolomeo Fenice's 1659 engraving, "Francesco I d'Este Sustains Himself While on His War Campaign." It seems to depict a rather civilized war campaign, almost theatrical! What's your take on this rather formal snapshot of a duke at war? Curator: The 'theatrical' vibe is spot-on. It's Baroque pageantry! See how the architecture – those grand arches – frame the scene like a stage? Fenice isn’t just showing us the Duke eating, he's crafting an image of leadership and stability *during* wartime. It's propaganda, really. Note how close his soldiers and advisors are. What feeling does that evoke for you? Editor: It feels very staged. He’s deliberately creating an image of himself as accessible, one with his people, not separate from them. He almost seems to be demonstrating for us how steadfast and balanced he is...despite the campaign. It's all a bit *too* perfect! Curator: Exactly! The artist aimed to portray an ideal. You feel that artificiality because that was precisely the point. Now, think about the symbolism. Even eating becomes a political act. And who eats in front of the soldiers? Editor: The Duke, of course. He’s showing everyone that despite being in the midst of battle he will uphold dignity, he will be an upright citizen to his duties to maintain a strong and stable image in a time of conflict. Curator: Indeed. It's all so fascinating. The perfect Baroque prince at war – quite the construction! I find it somewhat unnerving that he’s eating while everyone else is not...what an expression of power, an act of absolute power at the expense of humanism. I leave contemplating our human shortcomings. Editor: I'm walking away and mulling that this is indeed more a picture of powerful PR in action from that era than simply someone just "grabbing a bite" during war. I definitely view this image completely differently. Thanks for sharing the behind-the-scenes insight.