Graftombe van kapitien Cornelis Jansz de Haen, 1633 1633 - 1699

Editor: This engraving is a memorial for Captain Cornelis Jansz de Haen. The artist is anonymous, dating the work somewhere between 1633 and 1699. The material itself gives it a distant, historical feel. What do you make of it? Curator: It speaks of bravery, doesn't it? It almost feels like stumbling upon a forgotten poem etched in stone. The composition is fascinating – the upper text detailing the captain’s virtues, and below, that miniature seascape with ships locked in battle... it’s as if a grand, sweeping epic is being condensed into a very intimate space. It also has this curious combination of precision, typical of engravings, with a more baroque flair in the framing. Editor: The Latin text makes it feel very official and distanced. It is hard to decipher all the Latin but I can read just enough to have some idea about the scene represented in the print. Curator: Exactly! And look closer – at the bottom, there's this skull grinning back at us! These artists always gave us a dark, strange sense of humour to juxtapose against the bravado of the written test. All those meticulous lines forming a picture, a story, a man’s life and achievements immortalized—or is it his demise? In this engraving, the ships symbolize more than just maritime vessels and naval victories; they signify life, voyage, challenges. What stands out to you? Editor: The use of different languages does highlight this historical character more and bring awareness to his origins. It is like time-travelling and experiencing a fragment of history frozen within the artwork. Curator: Agreed! Each tiny line, each carefully placed detail, gives us more insight, reminding us that within every artwork, lies a piece of history wanting to be discovered.