Illustration XXXII: Shishak, King of Egypt invades Jerusalem and loots the treasures of the Lord's Temple and of the King's House (II Chronicles 12) c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous illustration, "Shishak, King of Egypt invades Jerusalem and loots the treasures of the Lord's Temple and of the King's House." It looks like a woodcut. The scene depicts looting and feels very charged. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, consider the historical context. This image visualizes a power dynamic, the subjugation of one group by another. How does the artist portray the act of looting as a form of violence, and how might this reflect contemporary anxieties about cultural appropriation or the spoils of war? Editor: That's a powerful way to look at it. I hadn't considered the contemporary echoes. Curator: Exactly. Understanding the historical narrative allows us to question whose stories are being told, and whose are being erased. Editor: Thank you. I will certainly remember that when looking at similar works.