Oordeel van de inquisitie in Madrid / Processie van de inquisitie 1723

Curator: This is Bernard Picart’s 1723 engraving, "Oordeel van de inquisitie in Madrid / Processie van de inquisitie," currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately, the dense linearity and the overwhelming crowd create a rather oppressive atmosphere. Curator: The engraving depicts two separate scenes – the upper register shows the “Judgement of the Inquisition in the Grand Place of Madrid,” and the lower one portrays the “Procession of the Inquisition” in Goa. Picart was documenting and thus publicizing the auto-da-fé ceremonies, contributing to Enlightenment critiques of religious persecution. Editor: I'm fascinated by how Picart uses line and space to differentiate the crowds. Look at the almost regimented seating in the upper scene compared to the winding processional below; it really guides the eye and speaks to the different forms of social control at play. Curator: Absolutely. And contextually, these engravings were part of a larger project illustrating various religious customs worldwide. It highlights how these events were viewed by outsiders and used as propaganda. They fueled anti-Catholic sentiment during the Enlightenment, and exposed, for European audiences, a reality often obscured by the Church’s self-presentation. Editor: Thinking of it that way, you can also see the buildings in the backgrounds become these towering representations of power, visually hemming in the figures. It uses compositional means to signal social critique. The meticulous detail makes everything seem almost diagrammatic, an analytical deconstruction. Curator: Yes, the precision allowed for wide dissemination through print culture. And the contrasting settings—Madrid, representing the heart of Spanish power, and Goa, reflecting colonial expansion—underscores the global reach of the Inquisition’s influence. It speaks volumes about European colonial practices at the time. Editor: I appreciate how looking closely reveals these different narrative layers in Picart’s piece. There’s a precision to the engraving which encourages a slower viewing that pays off intellectually. Curator: Indeed. By blending visual precision with socio-political critique, Picart provided a stark commentary on the abuse of power and its theatrical displays.