Omlijstingen met militaria 1678 - 1724

Curator: Look at this print. "Omlijstingen met militaria," or "Frames with Military Trophies," is attributed to Johann Christoph Hafner, created sometime between 1678 and 1724. Two decorative frames, really, filled with martial symbolism. What's your first impression? Editor: Immediately, it feels like a study in contrasts, doesn’t it? The top frame seems dynamic, chaotic even, while the lower one presents this ordered, almost sterile elegance. It's like the difference between the thrill of battle and the stoic memorial after the victory. Curator: That’s a wonderful way to put it! The upper scene is so charged. You have figures on horseback amid strewn weapons, banners…it's the glorious mess of conquest. Note the broken bodies lying underneath the horse. There's almost a visceral energy here. Editor: And that visceral energy ties into what the military represents, doesn't it? Consider the banners – their purpose isn't just to declare victory but to visually codify power. Symbols broadcast intentions, solidify narratives, especially in baroque artwork. The drama, the excess... Curator: Absolutely! And that theatricality continues into the lower frame. Here we've traded the battle scene for... almost heraldic guardians? Framed by these statuesque figures standing like watchful sentinels, what feelings rise up in you here? Editor: It evokes a sense of legacy, maybe. Those figures flanking the circular space seem frozen, eternal. And below, the mask, almost like a grotesque or gargoyle...a reminder of the costs perhaps, peeking out from the curated glory? Like the dark underside to any victory march. Curator: Ah, that's such an incisive observation! Seeing this work up close, one wonders about the space these frames would enclose. A portrait? A mirror reflecting back on the viewer? Editor: Perhaps both. The frame as a portal – a chance to reflect on history and one’s place within its unfolding narrative. Whether that's through a grand, dramatic panorama or in the cold, hard gaze of a marble statue. The question is always...what do these emblems ultimately reveal? Curator: What a perfect way to phrase that! Makes one ponder the symbols we use today. I never thought about it that way, though now that I have I am starting to like it even more! Thank you.