Baron von Münchhausen gevangen door Turken before 1843

Curator: Let's take a closer look at "Baron von Münchhausen gevangen door Turken," or "Baron von Münchhausen captured by Turks," a print by Charles Rochussen, dating from before 1843, held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Oof, right away I feel the tension; it’s crammed and claustrophobic. There's this sense of a sudden burst of violence breaking out, chaos suspended mid-air... a hot mess! Curator: Exactly, Rochussen captures a chaotic scene using the crispness of line. He relies almost entirely on line to articulate the figures, clothing, and textures; it's quite powerful for something made simply with ink on paper. We could even say that this image oscillates somewhere among the Realism and Romanticism movements with an interesting leaning into linear precision. Editor: True, the line work almost gives it this raw, unfiltered energy; like looking directly at the exposed bones of storytelling, you know? It's a super dramatic setup - like theater. And the story it suggests is intense! Do you get the sense the artist relishes in creating such charged settings? Curator: Rochussen certainly has a flair for the theatrical. It's narrative art, pulling you right into the heart of the tall tale of Baron Münchhausen, famous for his unbelievably outlandish stories. Here we find the Baron in deep peril as he is swarmed and overwhelmed. What strikes me about this is that the chaos feels surprisingly staged despite its subject's obvious intensity, doesn't it? Editor: That's it! It is operatic, isn't it? Everyone seems to perform their roles like they are singing them at the top of their lungs. Yet I also love how he still leaves space to consider deeper themes and histories. You can't look away; he just slams it all onto paper for us to consider. I love how art can do that. Curator: It's remarkable, truly, the level of detail he achieves with engraving; this singular process enhances the heightened reality portrayed and makes you pause at the edge of the Baron's predicament. Ultimately, this image does not try to preach but rather attempts to explore the power and flexibility of historical figuration using the narrative genre as his theater. Editor: And to let us decide how tall to take those tales of old... very crafty and sly... and I adore that.