Allegory of Victory 1670

Curator: This is Melchior Küsel’s “Allegory of Victory,” a small but mighty print in our collection. It’s interesting, isn’t it? The details, even at this scale, are so sharp. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is its triumphal violence. Victory, personified, literally steps on defeated foes, all etched with such deliberate, almost clinical precision. Curator: Right, the technical skill involved in capturing such detail is remarkable. Consider the labor involved. The copperplate had to be worked meticulously, each line a testament to the engraver's focus. And then, the mass production of prints! Editor: It feels very…staged, doesn’t it? As if victory is less about genuine triumph and more about the performance of power and the material consolidation of dominance. Curator: Maybe the artist is trying to remind us that even victory has a cost? Or perhaps it is just a celebration of power in a visual language the audience understands. Editor: I suppose it's a brutal reminder that even these seemingly timeless allegories are rooted in the very material conditions and power dynamics of their time. Curator: An interesting, and sobering thought to leave us with. Thanks. Editor: My pleasure.