Slagveld van Waterloo met monumenten 1814 - 1844

John Shury created this print of the battlefield of Waterloo, and its monuments, at an unknown date. As we can see from this engraving, after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, this site was transformed into a kind of proto-museum, an early example of what we now call 'dark tourism'. The image shows a landscape dotted with monuments. Most striking is the Lion's Mound, a vast artificial hill created between 1823 and 1826. These monuments played a crucial role in shaping the memory of the battle, transforming a site of trauma into a site of national pride and European alliance. The image subtly reinforces this narrative, depicting a peaceful scene of rural life, with figures strolling and working the land. The monuments become a part of the scenery. Understanding this artwork requires us to engage with primary sources and with broader historical and cultural contexts. We can see how the meaning of art shifts over time, shaped by the institutions and cultural forces that give it meaning.