Kitman verovert het Spaanse vaandel, 1573 1871 - 1873

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at “Kitman verovert het Spaanse vaandel, 1573,” or “Kitman Captures the Spanish Flag, 1573." Created by William Unger between 1871 and 1873, this work at the Rijksmuseum uses the engraving technique. What do you notice? Editor: Well, my first thought is one of chaos. It's so intensely packed and turbulent. It feels almost performative, this act of capturing the flag. Everyone is either attacking or defending, all emotion on their sleeves... or should I say, faces? Curator: Indeed. Let's examine how Unger uses the linear quality inherent to engraving. Note the density of the hatched lines in the foreground compared to the open, sparse marks defining the sky. This manipulation creates both spatial depth and a stark contrast highlighting the Dutch soldiers’ triumph. Editor: The flag, right? Which is almost... disintegrating? Tattered, yeah, which really drives home this feeling of victory at any cost, a sort of Pyrrhic win painted onto the defeated banner. Is that just me, or does the mood drip from every dark, cross-hatched shadow? Curator: That mood stems, partially, from the careful arrangement of forms, an understanding of the psychology of perception. Observe how the lines lead our eye inexorably up to the flag, and then around the vortex of action... The symbolism cannot be missed, suggesting an emergent nation-state from under duress. Editor: True! Thinking about it, beyond that dramatic black and white, there is something that captures the raw intensity of a historical event. It’s not just showing history, but creating a symbol out of what actually transpired; you can almost feel the resistance—all the effort. It speaks! Curator: Precisely. Unger’s work encapsulates not only a historical event but also communicates the complexities of national identity through meticulously crafted lines and spatial arrangements. Editor: For me, this image captures war—victory, really—with almost violent energy, with the flag raised despite, not because. Thank you, I leave with a greater insight into the context in terms of the human impact felt then and now.