Allegorische voorstelling met Opstand en Valsheid 1676

Curator: We’re standing before a print titled "Allegorische voorstelling met Opstand en Valsheid," or "Allegorical Representation with Insurrection and Falsehood," made in 1676 by Paul van Somer II. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: Whoa, it's… intense. Very baroque. So much swirling and… jaggedness. Like a fever dream etched onto paper. All those little boats on fire in the background! The central figure, this armored dude blowing a horn, looks incredibly stressed. Curator: Stress seems appropriate, given the subject matter. Van Somer depicts the Revolt of Messina against Spanish rule. Note how the city burns in the background while allegorical figures enact the drama in the foreground. The materiality itself is interesting: the controlled chaos of an engraving mimicking the real-world disorder of rebellion. Consider the labor involved to achieve this degree of detail and density. Editor: It makes my eyes water a little. What's up with that lady in the bottom left? Is she holding a mask? Looks like she’s ready to attend a ball in the middle of a war zone! Curator: Precisely! She embodies falsehood, presenting a deceptive face. It’s an allegory, of course, so the mask, the serpent at the figures feet, and the broken instruments lying discarded symbolize the deceit inherent in the uprising. Rebellion isn’t just about weapons; it's a theater of propaganda and misinformation. Van Somer skillfully exposes that. Editor: The theatricality totally lands. There's this performative quality to it, the way the figures are posed… like they’re putting on a very serious, slightly bonkers play. The burning boats – did you mention them? It adds something I think Curator: A stark reminder of the cost of such performances. Editor: Exactly! I see it… alright. A chaos symphony, frozen in ink. What I love about it, is how it is frozen in the image... like a photo you come to stumble upon later... Curator: Indeed, a still moment pregnant with historical and allegorical weight. And it’s amazing how much information about social struggles it is able to include.