Achterhoede van het leger in een berglandschap 1836

Editor: We are looking at "Achterhoede van het leger in een berglandschap," or "Rearguard of the Army in a Mountain Landscape," an 1836 engraving by Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. There’s something so bleakly romantic about it… that retreating army disappearing into the vast landscape. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: Bleakly romantic… I like that! It resonates, doesn’t it? I'm immediately struck by the almost overwhelming feeling of solitude that Charlet manages to convey, despite the presence of so many figures. They’re swallowed by the enormity of the mountains. Do you see how the light seems to be receding with them? It’s a powerful commentary, I think, on the fleeting nature of glory, and the insignificance of man against the backdrop of history and nature's indifference. Editor: Yes! And the detail of the engraving really lends itself to that atmosphere. Curator: Exactly! It’s all in the textures, isn't it? The sharp lines that define the mountain range juxtaposed against the softer, more blurred figures… Charlet creates a real sense of distance and perhaps a slight sense of anxiety. It reminds me of writings from the time - a commentary on the rise and fall. Did you know Charlet was deeply affected by the Napoleonic era? It likely impacted his vision. Editor: I didn't, that's fascinating context. It casts the artwork in a new light! It almost feels less like a landscape and more like a memory, fading away. Curator: Beautifully put! It's a ghost of an army. It whispers more than it shouts. That quiet melancholy, I find, is what makes it linger. Editor: Thanks, this piece is haunting. Now, I can almost feel the cool mountain air. Curator: Likewise. Art is at its best when it opens new corridors in your mind, allowing new winds of understanding to blow.