Katafalk van de Infante Balthasar te Antwerpen (vooraanzicht), 1647 1647

Wenceslaus Hollar created this print, "Katafalk van de Infante Balthasar te Antwerpen", in 1647, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Immediately, you’ll notice a somber yet grand architectural structure, meticulously rendered with fine lines. The stark contrast between light and shadow enhances the monumentality and evokes a sense of solemnity. Hollar’s technique emphasizes the inherent artifice of memorial structures. The rigid geometry, the symmetrical arrangement of columns, steps, and decorative elements, creates an ordered space reflecting the hierarchical values of the time. But look closer. This isn't just a depiction of a funeral monument; it’s a commentary on power, representation, and the theatrical nature of grief. The structure becomes a stage, a constructed reality designed to convey specific messages about royalty, religion, and the transience of life. Notice how the print invites us into a complex interplay between visibility and concealment, presence and absence. It reminds us that art is often less about what it shows, and more about how it frames our understanding.