Soldaat van het Korps Mineurs & Sappeurs 1835 - 1850

Editor: So, here we have "Soldier of the Corps of Miners and Sappers," a watercolor and ink drawing by Albertus Verhoesen, sometime between 1835 and 1850. It's currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. It has this strangely delicate quality considering it's a soldier... What stands out to you the most? Curator: It’s the uniform, isn’t it? So flamboyant, so… impractical. It's fascinating how much identity and almost performance went into even the most functional aspects of 19th-century life, and even something martial like that beautiful uniform still needed flair, you know? It reminds me of a particularly stylish magpie, all those bright colors carefully considered, placed just so. Do you think there is symbolism in these carefully curated colours? Editor: That's a really lovely way to put it, the magpie! I hadn't really considered it from that angle, thinking more about historical accuracy. But symbolism... Maybe the red and blue represented different factions coming together? I am purely guessing here! Curator: Maybe! Or maybe it's pure theatre. The "Sappers," the combat engineers. What a wonderfully precise, and deeply important role in any conflict of the time. Yet, the portrait is imbued with all this romantic idealism, perhaps intended to inspire that very practical skill with dreams of heroic performance and fashionable plumage. What a combination! Editor: I see what you mean. The almost staged pose reinforces that idea. I came in thinking it was a straightforward military record, but now I’m seeing all these layers of intended meaning. Curator: Exactly! It shows how even seemingly straightforward historical depictions can be rich with artistic intention, visual poetics if you will! Editor: Absolutely. It's a perfect reminder to look beyond the surface, because sometimes it lies. Curator: Precisely! Thank you.