Murder of Henri IV, King of France, by Ravaillac c. 17th century

Curator: This is Abraham Hogenberg's print, "Murder of Henri IV, King of France, by Ravaillac." It's part of our collection here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Wow, a chaotic scene, isn’t it? It's almost buzzing with nervous energy, so much happening. What do you make of this? Curator: Hogenberg, active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, captures the assassination's drama. Consider the print's role in shaping public opinion about regicide during a tumultuous era. Editor: The detail is incredible. You can almost feel the panic of the horses and the crowd. It really pulls you into that moment, doesn't it? A bit propagandistic, though, isn't it? Curator: It's definitely charged with political undertones, showcasing the anxieties of the time. It reminds us how art was often deployed to frame historical events. Editor: Absolutely. Makes you think about how we filter our own current events, doesn't it? Anyway, it's a powerful piece. Curator: Indeed. It's a stark reminder of art’s capacity to capture, and perhaps even manipulate, history.