German Joust of Peace c. 1512 - 1515

Curator: Here we have a drawing titled "German Joust of Peace," made circa 1512-1515, and currently attributed to an anonymous artist. It’s done with watercolor and colored pencil, showcasing a dramatic clash of knights. Editor: My first impression is of a very stiff formality, like a theatrical stage set for tragedy. It's intriguing but also unsettling – something about the way the figures are rendered so flat, yet the action feels so decisive. The lances frozen mid-air… gives me shivers. Curator: Right? The stiffness reflects the very specific rules governing such tournaments. This wasn't just about brute force; it was a ritualized performance. Jousts, especially those called "of peace," aimed to display skill and chivalry more than inflicting mortal blows, even if accidents happened, like here. Editor: Absolutely, and the very pointed visual language reflects it. Consider the prone figure draped in green – a stark symbol, like a fallen chess piece signifying defeat, maybe even the transience of glory. It has a direct impact in connecting us to the symbolic values attached to this type of scene. Curator: And notice how the horses mirror the postures of the riders, participating, if you will, in the overall drama. This idea that war is, ultimately, a cultural act. Something we stage and perform, with symbolic rules and gestures. A grim, beautiful dance. I love that the colours here give the action an almost fairy-tale-like aura of unreality. Editor: Yes! They really draw you into its narrative depth. The lances themselves become like these symbolic dividing lines, disrupting, piercing not just bodies, but illusions of perfect order, which I imagine was one aim of its anonymous creator. Curator: Indeed! This piece is so rich with these insights. You look beyond the surface and this drama turns into something else altogether. Editor: Exactly! Each viewer probably projects their hopes, expectations and fears when encountering the artwork like this "German Joust of Peace", like holding up a personal mirror to the scene.