Sligo door koning Jacobus veroverd, 1690 1691

Curator: This print from 1691, made by Pieter Pickaert, depicts "Sligo door koning Jacobus veroverd, 1690"—The Capture of Sligo by King James. What is your immediate impression? Editor: Chaotic. An immense amount of detail, but all channeled into conveying turmoil. Note the dense layering of figures and the use of line to create textures—it is viscerally overwhelming. Curator: Indeed. This work speaks to a critical historical moment, King James's campaign in Ireland. Prints such as this weren’t simply documentation; they served as propaganda, shaping public perception of events. Consider how Pickaert visualizes power, portraying James as a triumphant, divinely appointed leader. Editor: Observe how the artist utilizes linear perspective to direct the viewer's gaze, moving from the carnage in the foreground to the calm cityscape on the horizon, as a kind of implied destiny. The rendering of smoke and fire adds to the theatrical quality. Curator: Precisely. The baroque style elevates a military engagement into something allegorical, echoing themes of duty, destiny, and even divine will. The image was widely disseminated; its importance cannot be overstated when looking at Anglo-Irish relations in the late 17th century. Editor: It’s a potent combination. Notice too, how the city is represented as somewhat idyllic and neatly organized in contrast with the disarray of war happening upfront, furthering the distinction. Curator: That distinction is really vital. The organization of space serves a clear ideological goal. Editor: I concur, it provides another entry point for deconstructing how this piece acted within—and on—the sociopolitical context of the time. A stunning etching really. Curator: An etching which I find successfully brings to life the events of that period through the perspective of the printmakers.