Moord te Woerden op W. Schuil van der Does, 1813 1813 - 1814

Editor: Here we have Willem van Senus' drawing, "Moord te Woerden op W. Schuil van der Does, 1813," created around 1813-1814. It's rendered in ink, and depicts a violent scene, perhaps a domestic invasion? I'm struck by how raw and immediate the linework feels. What do you see in this piece, considering its historical context? Curator: Well, consider the materials: ink on paper, easily reproducible. This suggests a dissemination of a political narrative. The print implicates viewers. What did it mean to see images of violence being perpetrated by, supposedly, French soldiers against a Dutch family? Think of the role of consumption of mass produced art at that specific time. How would a print like this impact the ongoing sentiment of occupation? Editor: So, the cheap, accessible materials democratize the message? It's not some grand oil painting reserved for the elite, but something easily shared. The social context is everything here! Curator: Exactly! Think about who controlled the means of production and distribution of these images. The artist's labor, the printer's labor, the vendor’s labour: each individual implicated in the narrative! Were they trying to resist French hegemony or simply generate income? Did van Senus create art to meet a demand in the marketplace? And how did this work contribute to constructing a national identity through the spectacle of victimization? It is less a document than an ideological project, perhaps. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Focusing on how the print was made, sold, and consumed completely shifts the way I interpret the depicted historical event. I thought the art focused solely on showing a past historical war scene, but it reveals instead the labour and political agenda in creating nationalism! Curator: Indeed, thinking through the labor and material conditions reveals much about its intent and impact.