Slag bij Malplaquet, 1709 1709

Editor: This print, "Slag bij Malplaquet, 1709" created by Pieter Schenk, shows an aerial view of a battlefield. The detail is astonishing. It feels very removed from the actual experience of war, almost clinical. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: I see layers of cultural memory encoded in a meticulously rendered landscape. Note how the battlefield isn't just a physical space, but a symbolic arena. The arrangement of troops, the features of the land... they all speak to a specific understanding of order and power, visualized to carry certain emotional weights for the viewer. Do you think this distance makes the scene less emotional or in what other ways does it add a layer of emotional complexity? Editor: I think it does create a layer of complexity, actually. Because you see this overview, there are so many symbols that you need to read to be able to interpret it correctly, adding another emotional layer due to needing a special knowledge set. Curator: Precisely. Maps like these served to memorialize events but also to legitimize certain narratives about them. This careful inscription of victory carries a deep psychological weight – it aims to fix the past and control its meaning. This relates not only to historical accuracy, but cultural beliefs. It has a particular goal, a particular feeling that it aims to make one feel as a viewer. Editor: So it's not just a record of what happened, but a carefully constructed argument about it? Curator: Exactly! These cartographic prints aimed to shape public perception through the use of visual symbols, becoming powerful cultural artifacts in their own right. These images shape our cultural memories and inform us for years after these historical events, constantly shaping and reshaping culture based on specific emotional viewpoints and symbolism. Editor: I never thought about maps as persuasive tools before. It's amazing to see how much they can communicate. Curator: Indeed. Visual languages permeate so much of our perception of reality. I have an idea for you on how to think further about the effects of symbolism that I can tell you later!