Gevecht van Constantijn tegen Maxentius 1610 - 1668

Curator: Well, that's chaotic! It feels like I've stumbled into the middle of a rather brutal video game. Look at all the tiny bodies piled up! Editor: Indeed. This is an engraving by Balthazar Moncornet, dating from somewhere between 1610 and 1668, titled "Gevecht van Constantijn tegen Maxentius," or, "The Battle of Constantine against Maxentius." It's currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Curator: It's certainly… dramatic. Very Baroque, isn’t it? So much swirling motion and theatrical violence, all crammed into one print. Tell me more, what are we really seeing here? Editor: We are seeing the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD, where Constantine defeated Maxentius, a pivotal moment in Constantine's rise to power and the eventual Christianization of the Roman Empire. This print, being a reproduction, made this moment accessible to a wide public. Curator: So, propaganda then? A little victory lap for Christianity perhaps? Or is it also, like, playing into the era’s obsession with classical battles, updated with 17th century flair? Editor: Precisely. While on the surface, it romanticizes historical conflict, such images circulated widely and served to legitimize current political power structures. This print, and others like it, helped reinforce social hierarchies. Note how crisp the details are, especially the rendering of textures like metal armor versus human flesh; this was also very pleasing to the market and the growing appetite for reproducible art at the time. Curator: Hmmm… Interesting! Now that you mention the crispy-ness, it reminds me a bit of hyper-detailed war reportage but filtered through the fantasies of some, maybe slightly unhinged, storyteller! You can almost smell the metallic tang of blood! I feel queasy and slightly thrilled all at the same time. Editor: Its aesthetic power lies in its accessibility, allowing many, then as now, to feel similarly intrigued by historical turning points presented for broad audiences through art like this engraving. Curator: Exactly! So this wasn’t just for emperors and aristocrats… ordinary folk could buy this? It's amazing. And terrifying. I need a pastry.