Slag bij Höchstädt,1704 1729

Jan Wandelaar made this print titled ‘Battle of Höchstädt’ sometime around the early 18th century using etching and engraving techniques. It depicts the Battle of Höchstädt which took place during the War of the Spanish Succession. During this period, depictions of battles often served as propaganda, emphasizing the power and legitimacy of rulers. Wandelaar's print, with its detailed map and symbolic ornamentation, situates this particular battle within a broader narrative of imperial power. Consider how the print’s design, with its allegorical figures and weaponry, constructs a heroic and glorified image of warfare. What stories are told through the visual language of battle depictions, and whose perspectives are centered? Whose experiences are marginalized or erased in these representations? The print invites us to reflect on the relationship between historical events, their representation in art, and the construction of collective memory.