De exercitie met de targe en rapier: hoe de soldaat zich moet verdedigen met de targe rustend tegen de linkerknie en linkerschouder, de getrokken rapier in de hand, van voren gezien, (nr. 9), 1618 1616 - 1618

Curator: What strikes you first about this rather unassuming engraving? Editor: There's a vulnerability, I think. He’s armored, but posed almost submissively. He seems exposed rather than protected, challenging conventional masculinity. Curator: That’s a striking reading. This is “De exercitie met de targe en rapier” from around 1616-1618, made with pen and engraving by Adam van Breen. The title translates from the Dutch to "The exercise with the targe and rapier: how the soldier must defend himself with the targe resting against the left knee and left shoulder, the drawn rapier in hand, seen from the front.” It's part of a series on military exercises. Editor: So, it's literally a how-to guide! The symbols, therefore, become even more loaded. A shield traditionally speaks of defense, security—yet its position makes me consider not only his physical safety, but his social or psychological vulnerability. It really does convey a specific moment in the historical development of conflict as performance. Curator: That's fascinating – this posture wasn't meant to convey passivity at all. Think of what the image itself might symbolize to the intended audience. It’s an instructional plate – meant to show proper defense with the shield, or targe. The military was evolving, changing how battles were fought. This isn’t necessarily about individual strength; it's about the technique, about shared practice. Van Breen is reminding us that military skill comes from collective action. Editor: It becomes almost a choreographic notation then! This is such a telling, poignant glimpse of social evolution playing out, sword in hand. Thank you for making the symbols feel more meaningful and connected to something much deeper than defense, in my reading of the picture. Curator: It reminds us that even the tools of war are steeped in layers of intent and purpose. Editor: Indeed; seeing that reflected in art helps reveal so much about us, both then and now.