Mes aangetroffen op een Frans schip, waarmee de protestanten in Engeland vermoord zouden worden, 1688 1688

Editor: This is a print from 1688, housed in the Rijksmuseum. It's an engraving titled "Mes aangetroffen op een Frans schip, waarmee de protestanten in Engeland vermoord zouden worden, 1688" or “Knife found on a French ship used to murder the Protestants in England”. It's an image of a menacing looking knife and it appears there's a text block above. The print gives off this disturbing and conspiratorial feeling to me. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, that conspiratorial feeling is likely intentional. The image depicts a weapon, yes, but it's more important as propaganda. Look at the text: it claims the knife was found on a French ship destined for England, with the alleged purpose of massacring Protestants. This Baroque-era print needs to be seen as part of the intense religious and political conflict of the time. Think about who benefits from spreading such a narrative and who might be implicated. Editor: So, it's less about the actual knife and more about fueling anti-Catholic sentiment, maybe? Using a visual medium to propagate a specific viewpoint about the Catholic church’s threat? Curator: Exactly! Consider the historical context: England had just undergone decades of religious turmoil. The Glorious Revolution was about to unfold, partly driven by fears of Catholic absolutism under James II. This print likely circulated to further stoke those anxieties and solidify support for William of Orange. Editor: I never considered that. I was so focused on the image of the knife itself. Now I realize that this history painting has an essential social message embedded. This work uses visual culture to generate feelings about political action, very smart. Curator: And this understanding shifts our perception of the artwork. We move from merely observing an antique illustration of a knife to interpreting it as a powerful and politically charged object intended for public consumption, even manipulating public opinion. Editor: That’s a great perspective, a very helpful perspective for contextualizing imagery!