Scène uit de roman Quentin Durward 1847 - 1909

Edgar Alfred Baes made this print, Scène uit de roman Quentin Durward, using etching, a process which allows for detailed line work and tonal variation. The image represents a scene from Sir Walter Scott’s historical novel. Set in fifteenth-century France, the novel reflects the Romantic era’s fascination with the medieval past and the rise of nationalism. The visual codes here present us with a clear social hierarchy. We see a knight in armor, gesturing confidently towards a distant castle or town, alongside a more modestly dressed commoner, who looks on with what seems to be deference. The bones on the ground might serve to remind us that the past was rife with conflict. Baes was Belgian, so we might ask whether he, like Scott, was interested in nation-building. What sources might illuminate such a connection? Nineteenth-century periodicals, exhibition reviews, and the artist’s personal correspondence might give us some clues. By examining these resources, we can better understand the role of art in shaping historical and cultural narratives.