Bombardement van Bergen op Zoom, 1747 1772

Editor: So, this engraving, "Bombardement van Bergen op Zoom, 1747" by Simon Fokke, made in 1772, is intense! It’s just black and white, but the smoke and the crowds… it feels so chaotic and violent. How do you interpret this work, considering it's depicting such a destructive event? Curator: What strikes me is how this print, created almost 25 years after the event, engages with the visual rhetoric of war. It's not just about illustrating a historical event, the bombing of Bergen op Zoom, but about shaping its memory and, consequently, influencing political sentiments. The French, cast as aggressors, become a focal point to interrogate colonial power, national identity, and the consequences of war. What sociopolitical elements, from your perspective, shape the representation of such conflict in art? Editor: I guess the focus on the chaos kind of glorifies the suffering while demonizing the invaders… it makes the Dutch the victims, and reinforces a national identity rooted in resistance. But if it was made later, do you think the artist meant it as a commentary about the violence of conflict in general? Curator: Precisely. It is likely a complex articulation of historical accountability, wouldn't you agree? Consider also the engraver's choice of medium. Prints were easily disseminated. Therefore, this piece served as a tool to circulate particular narratives, fueling national sentiment but also perhaps prompting viewers to question war. Did Simon Fokke question or uphold those hierarchies of power, considering this piece was realized after the facts? Editor: I never considered that angle. I was so focused on what was being shown that I didn’t think about who it was shown *to* and what their reaction could have been. That really does make you wonder about the nuances behind creating images of war and conflict. Curator: Absolutely. Considering the visual, social, and historical dimensions here brings the engraving alive in a different, far more engaging way.