Ruïnes in de Magdalenasteenweg te Brussel, 1695 1695 - 1711

Editor: This print, "Ruins in de Magdalenasteenweg te Brussel, 1695," by Pieter Schenk, feels so stark. It's almost like a historical photograph, documenting the destruction in Brussels. The black and white etching really emphasizes the devastation. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's a powerful image, isn't it? I see this print not just as a cityscape but as a political statement. Schenk isn't simply recording damage; he's showing us the human cost of conflict. The War of the Grand Alliance had a huge impact. Notice how the destruction isn't presented as heroic or glorious. It’s intimate, street-level. The people amidst the ruins seem lost, almost erased by the magnitude of the event. Consider also that Schenk created this print years after the bombardment. Why revisit this scene of devastation? Editor: Perhaps to remind viewers of the consequences, the fragility of peace? The bombed-out architecture dominating the people is an interesting choice by the artist. It brings attention to their helplessness and lack of security. Curator: Precisely! And in doing so, he implicitly critiques the power structures that led to such destruction. Whose interests were served by this conflict, and at what cost? The very act of representing these ruins speaks volumes, ensuring that the victims are not forgotten. The title calls out this section as leading up to a "hof," what might it suggest to juxtapose an area going toward some nobility or royalty, and a street decimated in the war? Editor: That’s fascinating, I never considered that contrast, of ascent versus destruction. It certainly shifts how I understand Schenk’s message! Curator: Art from this period engaged with many critical and political considerations and it provides the chance for dialogue. I find the social commentary as relevant today as it was back then. Editor: It's really made me think about how art can be both a historical record and a form of protest.