Sleutel bij het schilderij van de ontmoeting van Nederlandse en Pruisische troepen na de Slag bij Waterloo, 1815 1903 - 1904

This annotated drawing, by François de Bas, made without a date, uses line to create a record of the meeting of Dutch and Prussian troops after the Battle of Waterloo. The artist uses a dry, almost technical approach to mark-making, emphasizing the process of recording an event. The surface is densely packed with figures and objects, all delineated with delicate lines. Look closely at the way the artist uses line to describe the folds of the soldiers' uniforms, the contours of their faces, and the details of their weaponry. This accumulation of detail gives the image a sense of immediacy, as if the artist is trying to capture every aspect of the scene. My eyes are drawn to the fallen soldiers in the foreground. De Bas has drawn them with the same level of detail as the standing figures, giving their forms dignity. Like the drawings of Alfred Kubin, the image embraces a kind of chaotic energy. It celebrates the role of art as a witness to history.