Verovering van de vesting Goleta 1574 - 1578

Editor: This is "The Conquest of the Fortress of Goleta," an engraving made between 1574 and 1578 by Frans Hogenberg, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It feels very detailed and chaotic, almost overwhelming with all the tiny figures and ships. What do you see in this piece, with your expertise? Curator: The immediate visual impression is, as you say, chaotic, but that chaos tells a very specific story. Note how the ships, bristling with symbolic power, dominate the foreground. What do ships traditionally represent? Editor: Hmm… journeys? Power, I guess, since they’re warships? Curator: Exactly. And think about what a fortress, like Goleta, signifies: a stronghold, a place of resistance. The clash between these symbols—the dynamic, assertive ships versus the static, defensive fortress—speaks volumes about the shifting power dynamics of the 16th century. Hogenberg uses that visual language to emphasize a decisive European victory. Look closely: what cultural or religious narratives might be embedded in this “victory”? Editor: I see a lot of people who look like soldiers… So maybe this is a very charged symbol, then, of a specific moment of conflict and dominance? And also, maybe, a symbol of how power is constructed and remembered through images? Curator: Precisely! It’s not just a record of an event, but a carefully constructed representation meant to shape how people remember and interpret it, with ships and fortresses embodying cultural narratives that resonate even now. What a loaded image, a complex nexus of power and representation! Editor: I didn’t think about it like that. It really reframes how I see these historical prints – as more than just records, but active participants in shaping historical memory.