Ruïnes, 1832 1833

Auguste Raffet created this lithograph titled 'Ruïnes' in 1832. It depicts the aftermath of the siege of the citadel of Antwerp. The image provides a glimpse into the devastating consequences of military conflict on civilian life and infrastructure. We see a figure hurrying from the scene, loaded down with salvaged goods. Raffet made this print in France, a country with a long history of both instigating and enduring war and revolution. We can also understand it in relation to the history of printmaking. Lithography enabled the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images for mass consumption. Exploring the archives of French military history and the records of the siege of Antwerp can help us understand the scene that Raffet represents, but also the place of such an image in shaping public opinion. The meaning of art is never fixed; rather, it shifts with the context.