Der Weiß Kunig 1775

Editor: So, this woodcut, *Der Weiße König*, or "The White King", by Hans Burgkmair, created around 1775. It’s a busy scene! I’m immediately struck by the contrast between the figures in the foreground and that really lovely, almost dreamy cityscape peeking through in the background. What pulls you in when you look at this? Curator: Ah, yes, *Der Weiße König*! To me, it’s a puzzle box brimming with hidden meanings. I think that dreamlike cityscape is there to remind us this isn't a 'real' historical scene; this is historical fiction! Burgkmair's drawing offers a nostalgic projection onto the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I. See him there, almost floating amongst the construction? Editor: The guy in the fur-trimmed robe and what looks like a laurel wreath? What's he doing amongst the builders? Curator: Exactly! This isn't really Maximilian doing carpentry! He’s the ‘supervisor’, if you will. A stand-in, even, for virtue and ideal leadership, guiding the common craftsman. These images were commissioned to create a lasting legacy, almost a visual propaganda, and part of a larger series of prints celebrating Maximilian I. I always wonder, would Max have actually known how to use any of those tools? Editor: Visual propaganda, that’s fascinating! So it’s less about historical accuracy and more about crafting a specific image. I definitely see it differently now knowing that it’s a carefully constructed message. Curator: Exactly! Art isn’t always what it seems, and I find that notion utterly liberating. We must allow art to open dialogues beyond face value to fully unpack it’s meanings.