Turnus en Aeneas bereiden zich voor op het tweegevecht 1746

Curator: Here we have Pieter Tanjé’s engraving from 1746, "Turnus en Aeneas bereiden zich voor op het tweegevecht," housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It's dramatic! Almost stage-like in its composition. You have these stoic figures in the foreground, with a flurry of spears creating a rigid wall of expectation in the background. Is there any tension, or is it all pre-ordained? Curator: That sense of destiny is exactly what Tanjé is after! He depicts a pivotal moment from Virgil's Aeneid. The impending duel between Turnus and Aeneas was of tremendous cultural importance when the Dutch Republic tried to envision themselves within that classic context. Engravings like this helped transmit and solidify particular visions about civic and moral order. Editor: Knowing the historical framework gives you an entrance point into understanding it! All those symbolic pillars and ritualized gestures read as incredibly performative today – like a grand play about to begin and I do wonder, who’s in the audience for our life's crucial moments? Are they always watching and holding us to their account? Or our accounts? Curator: In the 18th century, this imagery was powerful in its appeal to moral example. Depicting Turnus and Aeneas invoking the gods was meant to underscore principles of governance and even piety during a specific historic point. Each figure and object served a distinct purpose, with roots to classical rhetoric and philosophy. Editor: Sure! You have your figure, vessel and looming spearhead, like an ominous prediction. However the dog being held down on the side, on the verge of ritual sacrifice brings forth the emotional tension I sensed! It makes this not just a historical scene, but very primal: a portrait of anxiety just before a moment of life altering significance. Curator: It's an interesting reflection. It reminds me how powerful imagery shapes both cultural values and also how art becomes useful to politics or dominant interpretations. It reminds us to view artwork of centuries prior not only for their obvious subjects, but the reasons they came into being! Editor: Well, and like all meaningful experiences with artwork, it allows for a dive into our selves... I can not unsee that sacrificial dog... I’ll have to process a painting, not just with my head now. Thank you for this little pause, it has made a long time ago become so NOW!