Illustratie voor 'Den Arbeid van Mars' van Allain Manesson Mallet 1672

Romeyn de Hooghe made this illustration for Allain Manesson Mallet's book, ‘The Work of Mars’. Through it, we can consider the social and political context of the late 17th century, a time defined by the rise of military engineering and the glorification of warfare. The artwork is divided into two distinct parts. The upper section features a technical diagram of a fortress, meticulously planned with geometric precision. Below, a chaotic battle scene unfolds. Soldiers clash amidst smoke and fire, their bodies contorted in the throes of combat. The contrast speaks volumes about the era's complex relationship with war. On one hand, it was approached with scientific calculation, an attempt to control and contain its destructive forces. On the other, the human cost of conflict is vividly depicted. It prompts us to reflect on how societies can simultaneously romanticize and dehumanize war, sanitizing it through strategic planning while ignoring the visceral realities faced by those on the front lines.