Slag bij Leuven, 1831 1831 - 1832

Curator: The work before us, "Slag bij Leuven, 1831," or "Battle of Leuven, 1831," created circa 1831-1832 by Morris Jacob Dessaur, depicts a historical event and is rendered as an engraving. What’s your initial impression? Editor: My eyes are immediately drawn to the stark contrast between the detailed figures in the foreground and the smoke-filled background. It lends a dramatic air. Curator: It's interesting to consider this work as both a print and an artifact documenting the Battle of Leuven. Dessaur’s print participates in the culture of commemoration that surrounded the event itself, intended to shape and disseminate narratives about the battle to a wider audience through reproductive media. Editor: Indeed. Formally, observe the artist's choices: the sharp lines of the engravings emphasize the chaos and violence, while the placement of figures creates a sense of depth and movement. It's a rather clever way to compose the overall image given the limitations of the engraving technique. Curator: Given the historical context, we can surmise Dessaur’s intent was likely aimed toward glorifying the military efforts while at the same time creating an artifact sold in support of national sentiment. I’m thinking of the conditions of artistic production as well as what its use was after it was produced as it traveled and reproduced this event. Editor: I find myself equally drawn to its romantic qualities. Notice the light source. The illumination from an unseen source heightens the emotional impact and perhaps idealizes war itself. I see the image, at its essence, creating a structured sense of the real, a kind of romantic realism at play. Curator: And perhaps consider the accessibility of this type of media; its affordability meant distribution could be broad, reproducing notions of national identity through depictions of battles such as this one, a narrative Dessaur was propagating through labor intensive means for wider dispersal. Editor: On that point, thinking formally about the piece, there's a sophisticated engagement with pictorial space, directing the gaze, creating formal and thematic focal points with precision that underscore the symbolic import. Curator: Interesting nuances we’ve uncovered looking at Dessaur's work here. Considering these lenses makes me want to know more about Dessaur’s workshop conditions and methods to further consider the production conditions of national historical visuality. Editor: And I see within these carefully etched lines both a rendering of conflict and an invitation to contemplate themes of bravery, sacrifice, and the very nature of war through pictorial codes the image deploys.