Slag bij Waterloo, 1815 1816

This print, "The Battle of Waterloo, 1815", offers a bird's-eye view of the culmination of the Napoleonic Wars. Its anonymous creator worked with engraving, etching, and possibly aquatint, all labor-intensive intaglio processes involving the meticulous carving of an image into a metal plate. The fineness of the lines and the subtle tonal gradations suggest a highly skilled hand, capable of translating the chaos of battle into a relatively ordered composition, fit for mass production and distribution. Prints like these played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and national identity in the 19th century. The very act of printing—multiplying the image—speaks to the industrialization of warfare and its representation. It is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict, but also the industrial means of memorializing it. Looking at it this way helps us to understand the broader social, political, and economic forces at play during the period.