Beroking van de Corsicaan, 1813 1813 - 1815

Curator: So, let’s consider “Beroking van de Corsicaan, 1813,” or "Funcking the Corsican," a print residing in the Rijksmuseum. This satirical work is credited to an anonymous creator. It employs engraving techniques to depict a highly charged political moment. What’s your initial reaction to it? Editor: Visually, it strikes me as a rather boisterous and unflattering portrayal. Napoleon, presumably the Corsican in question, seems to be at the center of a whirlwind of… smoke? The composition is dense, crowded with figures puffing away. Curator: Indeed. This piece utilizes caricature to comment on Napoleon’s diminishing power following the disastrous Russian campaign. The smoke represents the exhalation of scorn and mockery by the European powers. Editor: So, this isn't just about military defeat, it's a symbolic dismantling through public ridicule. The act of smoking becomes a performative demonstration of political opposition. Curator: Exactly. The artist employs recognizable figures – officials and dignitaries from nations allied against Napoleon – to embody this sentiment. Notice the text coming from Napoleon’s mouth, promising to roast all of Paris for what they are doing, the tone is taunting but the presentation farcical. Editor: I also notice the various Dutch symbols incorporated into the piece—the barrels of 'Dutch Cheese' and 'Dutch Herring,' or ‘Real Holland's Geneva', situate the image specifically. Curator: Correct. The inclusion of these elements not only highlights the Netherlands’ participation in the coalition against Napoleon but also speaks to broader anxieties of national identity being tied to specific consumable products, or vices in this instance. How this intersects with colonial practices also creates some complex implications to unravel. Editor: A fascinating point. What began as a seemingly straightforward political cartoon opens up to reveal intricate layers of national, economic, and colonial dynamics. This satirical print encapsulates a particular moment in history and reveals so much about the way political power was being challenged through art. Curator: A testament to how images become powerful weapons in the ongoing battle for historical and social narrative control. Thank you.