In 't jaar 496 c. 1789 - 1810

Curator: Let us consider this drawing, "In 't jaar 496," made circa 1789-1810, attributed to an anonymous artist. It is rendered in ink, pencil, and wash on paper and now resides in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It depicts quite a scene of carnage. There’s a landscape, but really my eyes are drawn to the fighting figures, the fallen bodies. What's striking is the clear distinction between the groups, delineated through their attire. How do you interpret this composition and its affect? Curator: Indeed, let us consider how the composition contributes to the overall reading of the artwork. Observe the disposition of the figures and how they fill the pictorial space, dividing the work between the fallen and the elevated. Ask yourself how the artist’s technique of ink drawing contributes to this division, and to the overall historical narrative it evokes. Editor: I notice the different directions and textures created by the ink strokes, to create a tonal range within the figures and landscape. The landscape appears loose and suggestive, whereas the bodies appear meticulously laid-out, and therefore of importance to the picture. Do you see other visual cues within the composition that directs us to an interpretation of violence? Curator: Observe how the sharp angular lines define the weapons and aggressive poses, in contrast with the softer rendering of the natural environment, contributing to a stark binary between humanity and nature, or violence and peace. What does the interplay of these forms tell us? Editor: That's helpful; paying attention to the lines and forms gives us clues. Thank you! I hadn't considered that specific interplay of form to establish context. Curator: My pleasure. I believe this analysis has shed new light on the power and intricacy of this relatively simple drawing.