Overzicht van oorlogskreten en leuzen 1645

Editor: So, here we have "Overview of War Cries and Slogans," a 1645 print by Samuel Bernard, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It's teeming with figures on horseback! I'm curious about the grid format; it seems almost like a catalogue. What do you see in this piece? Curator: That's a keen observation about the catalogue format. Think about what was happening at this time. Seventeenth-century print culture was burgeoning; prints served to disseminate information but also to solidify political messaging. This piece feels deeply rooted in the construction and dissemination of royal authority. Editor: Authority? It just seems like a collection of knights to me. Curator: Exactly! But who are these knights and why are they displayed this way? Notice the text accompanying each figure, listing war cries and slogans. Consider that this print presents an ordered, almost genealogical representation of French nobility linked through these cries. It reinforces a sense of historical legitimacy and strength, positioning the monarchy as the inheritor of a powerful, unified past. What function do you think it had? Editor: So, like... propaganda almost? But subtly? I mean, who's seeing this? Curator: Precisely. Prints like these weren’t necessarily for mass consumption in the way we think of propaganda today. This might have circulated among court circles, reinforcing a particular vision of the monarchy to those already within its sphere of influence or intended to impress foreign dignitaries. This artwork served the elite, by visually confirming their social and historical dominance. It also creates a sort of shared identity among the upper class. Editor: That makes so much sense. I was so focused on the knights, I missed the power play happening with this organized layout. Curator: Art's public role is all about context. When was it made, for whom, and why? Keep those questions in mind, and you will see beyond the image. Editor: I will. It makes me see prints of this time in a different way.