Landschap met verwoeste begraafplaats van familie Van der Capellen, 1788 1788 - 1790

Pieter Hendrik Jonxis made this etching, "Landscape with Destroyed Cemetery of the Van der Capellen Family," in 1788. Jonxis chose etching, a printmaking technique, to document this act of iconoclasm. He used sharp tools to incise lines into a metal plate, which was then inked and pressed onto paper. The resulting print captures the stark contrast between light and shadow. Here, mark-making becomes indictment. The use of line emphasizes the sharp edges of the broken tombstones, conveying the violence of the destruction. Consider the labor involved: the careful work of memorialization undone by brute force. This resonates with broader social issues, as the desecration reflects the political turmoil of the time, where the established order was under threat. The print itself becomes a form of protest, preserving the memory of what was lost and holding the perpetrators accountable. By using etching, Jonxis elevates documentation to a form of social commentary, demonstrating how material and process can imbue an artwork with profound meaning.