The War at Hainault 

Hans Springinklee created "The War at Hainault," a woodcut, during a time of significant political and social upheaval. Springinklee, situated in 16th century Nuremberg, worked in the shadow of the Reformation. The print captures the chaos and intensity of battle, but what's often overlooked are the individual stories subsumed by conflict. Soldiers are depicted en masse, but each figure represents real people caught in the crosscurrents of power, loyalty, and survival. What did these men think about as they marched to war? Did they question their allegiances? Did they fear death? The image does not offer answers to these questions. It’s not just a depiction of historical warfare, but a reflection on the universal and timeless aspects of human conflict. How do we reconcile personal narratives with the grand narratives of history?