Wapentrofee 1683 - 1733

Bernard Picart created this Wapentrofee etching, a print, sometime between 1683 and 1733, and it is now held at the Rijksmuseum. In Picart's era, the display of weaponry went beyond mere decoration; it symbolized power, status, and the readiness for conflict, reflecting a society where military might was deeply intertwined with social identity. This piece is an allegorical representation of strength, a concept laden with gendered implications. Consider the implications of glorifying tools of war. Whose stories are elevated, and whose are suppressed? What does it mean to take pride in objects associated with violence and domination? This print invites us to question what we choose to celebrate and how these choices reflect our values. How do such displays of power affect our perception of history and contemporary society?