Rivierlandschap met aanleggende schepen en soldaten aan de kant 1773

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to Jean-Baptist Leprince’s “Rivierlandschap met aanleggende schepen en soldaten aan de kant,” created in 1773. It’s a beautiful etching housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression is of leisure. The light sepia tones give the whole scene a very languid feel, almost as though time itself is taking a rest by this riverbank. Curator: Indeed. Leprince masterfully uses line and shading in this etching to create a distinct sense of depth. Notice how the boats gradually diminish in size as they recede into the background, a subtle but effective illusion of space. And how the foreground figures, presumably soldiers, are arranged almost in a pyramidal form leading the eye towards the activity on the river. Editor: But I’m also thinking about who is afforded this leisure and who is made to work in this landscape. Who were these soldiers, and whose power are they protecting? The leisurely scene perhaps hides a whole system of colonial structures at play. How are these figures entangled with expanding colonial empires? Curator: An astute observation! To think about 1773, the complexities of class, military power, and colonial presence become interwoven. This kind of etching at the time became very popular amongst an emergent merchant class who wished to adorn their walls with images of power, beauty, and possibly expansion. Editor: It also speaks volumes that Leprince focused on everyday genre-painting scenes to explore themes of military expansion or power. How did this romanticism affect how viewers thought of these soldiers, perhaps encouraging viewers not to question or consider what the reality of such activities may have been? Curator: Absolutely, these kinds of questions around who controls narratives and artistic licenses should continue to be considered, yes. It brings further considerations to this aesthetically beautiful piece. Editor: Exactly. This image might seem calm at first glance, but by questioning this calm and revealing some truths can add new layers. Curator: I will never see this quite the same again.