Inname van Menen, 1706 1712 - 1715

This is Johann August Corvinus's "Inname van Menen, 1706," an engraving. The print depicts a siege, but what's striking is how the composition creates a sense of theatricality. The scene is framed, literally, within an ornate border filled with symbolic figures and emblems. This elaborate framing device separates and elevates the central image, turning a historical event into a carefully constructed spectacle. The left panel, a cartouche with cherubic figures, mirrors the right, which is dominated by dense text. Together they enclose a panoramic battle scene, drawing our eyes into the detailed rendering of military action. The use of framing invites us to consider how power and knowledge are visually constructed and disseminated. Here, the formal elements of the engraving do more than depict an event, they codify it, embedding the siege within layers of cultural and political meaning. The complexity of the engraving encourages multiple interpretations.