Artillerie 1869 - 1904

Theodorus Henricus Kerstel created this image called "Artillerie," sometime before his death in 1936. Kerstel made this artwork during a time when national identity was being shaped through military strength and colonial expansion. In the image, we see soldiers and horses moving artillery across a landscape. The soldiers, with their formal attire, represent a rigid social hierarchy and the power of the state. But consider the animals here: the horses are essential to the artillery's function. I always wonder, what is their experience? What do they feel? Are they given the respect they deserve? Kerstel’s work, like much art of this period, idealizes military power. It omits the realities of conflict, and glosses over the diverse experiences of those involved. While celebrating national pride, it also obscures the costs of militarism. It is up to us to consider whose stories are not being told, and whose perspectives are missing from this representation of military life.