View of the Army Encampment near Nivelles, Walloon Brabant Possibly 1674 - 1678

Barend Klotz made this pen and brown ink drawing of an army encampment near Nivelles in Walloon Brabant, dating it September 2nd, 1674. The image gives us a glimpse into the realities of military life during a turbulent period in European history. This was the time of near-constant conflict between the great European powers, like France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic. The tents and figures give an impression of the scale of the armies involved. While Klotz's drawing seems like a straightforward record, we should remember the politics of imagery. Was it commissioned by the military to project an image of strength and order? Or was it made for a private patron interested in military affairs? The answers to these questions are not apparent from the image itself. It would require careful research into the social and institutional contexts in which Klotz was working. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.