Klerk in het leger 1585 - 1589

Editor: Here we have Hendrick Goltzius’s engraving, "Clerk in the Army", created sometime between 1585 and 1589. There’s something quite whimsical about it, with that slightly surreal landscape behind the confidently posed figure. What draws your eye when you look at this print? Curator: It’s the inherent contradiction, isn't it? The 'clerk' – traditionally a man of letters, of record, of quietude – placed smack-dab in the chaos of soldiery. It’s Goltzius' sly humor peeking through, don’t you think? Editor: Definitely! I get a sense of satire from it too, as if he is making a sly comment on class and war. But the guy also looks incredibly confident, not at all like someone out of their element. Curator: Exactly! Perhaps he sees himself not just as a scribe, but a vital part of the war machine, orchestrating from behind the lines. That gesture – a delicate finger pointing knowingly outwards, as if giving direction? Is he the true strategist, do you suppose, while everyone else merely carries out his orders? The Mannerist style amplifies it too, twisting reality ever-so-slightly to make his point all the more cutting. Editor: The inscription at the bottom definitely gives that impression. So it's not just about appearances but also about intellect and the power it wields, right? Curator: Precisely! Goltzius plays with our expectations, forcing us to consider who truly holds the power. A foot soldier, charging bravely? Or the seemingly gentle scribe holding the reins? What does it say that he carries the records? That nothing occurs without a record? That control over the narrative shapes perception more than a sword can? These prints invite contemplation, not just passive observation. Editor: I'd never thought of it that way, seeing beyond the literal image into a broader message about power dynamics. Curator: Art has many disguises, and wears as many expressions.