Slag bij Dreux, tweede treffen, 1562 c. 1567 - 1571

Frans Hogenberg created this print depicting the Slag bij Dreux in 1562. It offers a bird's-eye view of a pivotal battle during the French Wars of Religion. Hogenberg, working in the Netherlands, captures the chaos and scale of the conflict. Consider the cultural context: the 16th century was a time of intense religious and political upheaval, with the rise of Protestantism challenging the Catholic establishment. France was deeply divided, and battles like Dreux were bloody episodes in a larger struggle for power and religious freedom. Prints like this served as a form of early news media. They visually communicated events to a wide audience. The artist’s choices, what to include and how to depict it, could shape public opinion and reinforce particular narratives about the war. To understand this print better, we can look at contemporary accounts of the battle. These accounts can help us unpack the biases and perspectives embedded within this seemingly objective depiction of war. The history of art is always contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it’s created and consumed.