Overwinning op de Connétable van Castilië, 1595 1595 - 1597

Curator: Look at this incredible scene depicted in Frans Hogenberg’s print, "Overwinning op de Connétable van Castilië, 1595," dating from around 1595-1597. It’s housed here at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes you about it? Editor: Chaos, initially. A seething mass of tiny figures locked in combat, depicted in astonishing detail for what I assume must be a rather small print. It feels incredibly immediate despite being so historical. Curator: That sense of immediacy comes partly from the printmaking medium itself, its accessibility, and the narrative drive typical of Mannerism. Note how Hogenberg uses symbols, in this case armies clashing. To what end does that visualization operate? Editor: Certainly to establish power. It looks propagandistic, like it’s designed to solidify the victor's narrative. Consider the strategic arrangement of troops— the meticulous planning it suggests contrasts against the carnage that occurs in the battlefield’s foreground. Curator: Exactly! We have to remember that prints like these helped shape public perception of events. But think about the individual soldier, rendered so small. Is the glorification of war offset by his loss of individual identity? Are all parts working together, or against one another? Editor: That’s fascinating. One wonders who, back in the day, had access to prints like these. Was its dissemination carefully controlled to serve particular agendas, shaping social discourse? Or was its role in fostering any kind of shared identity? Curator: Definitely a combination of both. I notice Hogenberg positions the viewer almost above the fray. It invites a sense of control, perhaps even judgment on these historical figures. Editor: Interesting. The politics of imagery continue. Thank you. Curator: Likewise. Looking at the big picture through the art, eh?