De grote triomfwagen, 1519 1606

Editor: Here we have "The Large Triumphal Carriage" originally conceived around 1519, but this particular print is from 1606, anonymous, an engraving on paper. The eye is immediately drawn across the procession from left to right by these wonderfully drawn horses and drivers. What is your perspective on the visual symbolism within the print? Curator: What strikes me is how the artist draws on classical and contemporary iconographic traditions, perhaps more accessible at the time than now. Notice how each horse and driver embodies a virtue or symbolic concept relevant to Imperial power: Fame, Glory, Nobility… Can you sense the combined effect? Editor: I do. Each element individually communicates something about power, but cumulatively, it speaks to an ideal of the Emperor’s reign. What I find intriguing is how this procession echoes both ancient Roman triumphs, as well as contemporary Renaissance festival culture. Is this connection intentional, perhaps a form of self-fashioning? Curator: Absolutely, it is very intentional! The Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I commissioned a series of prints intended to connect him with Roman emperors of the past. And yet, at the same time, these images needed to appeal to contemporary sensibilities. This print fuses the visual language of ancient triumph and renaissance festivals in order to create a lasting image of imperial power. What are your final thoughts on the symbolism here? Editor: This print really highlights how imagery functions as a tool to communicate, not just literal ideas, but deeper cultural and psychological meanings relating to power and ideal governance, all while connecting to both past and future audiences. Curator: I agree completely! "The Large Triumphal Carriage" shows us that images are not static, but evolve, gathering new associations, and reasserting certain themes to new contexts.