Album met het prentwerk: Schouwtoneel van den oorlog, editie 17XX 1741 - 1769

Editor: This is an album of prints entitled "Schouwtoneel van den oorlog, editie 17XX" made by Jan (II) Roman between 1741 and 1769. It seems to consist of engravings on paper, but without seeing inside, I’m struck by the weight the closed book suggests, almost as if it contains secrets. What do you see in this piece? Curator: That sense of weight is compelling, and leads me to think about what stories this book could tell. A theatre of war… what narratives are included, and whose stories are being silenced or elevated? Do these prints critique war, or glorify it? Editor: That’s a really interesting point! I hadn’t considered that at all. I was mostly looking at the object itself, but thinking about whose voices are in it changes my view of it. How does the date affect your thinking on this? Curator: The 18th century was a time of immense social and political upheaval, wasn't it? The Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason coexisted with brutal colonial expansion. Think of the lives impacted by constant battles over territory and power during this era, and how the perspectives of the colonised are seldom, if ever, portrayed. What might it mean to see "war" staged as theatre? Editor: This makes me realize how incomplete my understanding is. Just looking at it, I couldn’t even begin to unpack all that! Curator: Absolutely, and art invites that unpacking. It is a catalyst for discussing intersectional narratives about identity and power, especially related to the ever-present subject of conflict and resolution, freedom and oppression. Editor: I'm now considering the politics embedded in image-making. I will definitely look at art differently going forward! Curator: Indeed, to think critically is to create a space for questioning and transformative dialogues to occur.