Inname van Schloß Poppelsdorf bij Bonn, 1583 c. 1587 - 1591

Curator: Let’s examine “Inname van Schloss Poppelsdorf bij Bonn, 1583,” an engraving dating from about 1587 to 1591 by Frans Hogenberg, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The scene is intense! I’m immediately struck by the detail considering its apparent scale; the figures swarm across the landscape, focused on a structure that's going up in flames. You can almost smell the gunpowder. Curator: Indeed. Hogenberg captures the historical moment of the siege of Poppelsdorf Castle, near Bonn, during the Cologne War. Notice the visual organization, how he positions the castle centrally, almost heroically, even as it’s under attack. Editor: It's fascinating how the battle almost appears choreographed; observe the rendering of individual figures involved in what would've been chaotic hand-to-hand combat, all achieved through simple lines and hatching. You could use this piece to demonstrate 16th-century printmaking techniques. Curator: It reflects a broader artistic and political context. These prints, disseminated widely, influenced public perception of these events, bolstering particular narratives of the Cologne War. They provided a form of early media coverage, shaping the understanding of contemporary society about the unfolding religious and political conflicts. Editor: So, beyond its aesthetic value, it serves as a powerful historical document revealing the socio-political influences on image-making. The decision to disseminate through a relatively accessible medium like engraving… interesting choices around labor and availability of images. Curator: Absolutely. This image doesn't simply depict an event, it actively participates in its interpretation and memory. The scale suggests widespread availability, thereby serving propaganda functions. Editor: Looking closely at the construction of the fortifications and weapons deployed reveals how technology shaped warfare, or vice versa. The material presence of weaponry influenced social interaction as much as they defined artistic rendering during these periods. Curator: That’s precisely the critical tension this engraving occupies – simultaneously artistic, documentary, and, of course, shaped by power. Editor: A small engraving, really, but vast implications within. Its materiality allows us to see processes within art, as well as within this historical siege.