Joshua laat vijf Amoritische koningen ophangen 1530 - 1533

Editor: So this print, "Joshua laat vijf Amoritische koningen ophangen," from around 1530, is an anonymous woodcut in the Rijksmuseum's collection. It depicts the hanging of five kings. I find it striking how the stark lines and the medium itself amplify the violence of the scene. What elements stand out to you? Curator: The most significant element, to me, is the woodcut itself. Consider the process: a block of wood painstakingly carved away to produce this image. It wasn't mere illustration; this print offered a method for wide distribution of a biblical narrative, shaped by the available resources. How does the medium's accessibility influence your understanding? Editor: I hadn't thought of it like that. I suppose that the roughness makes it feel more like a broadly distributed propaganda piece than high art. It connects the historical subject matter to contemporary social contexts... Curator: Exactly. The act of repetitive printing is also a form of labor, closely related to artisanry, and underscores how visual culture circulated information and ideology. Do you notice any ways the materiality informs our understanding of power dynamics? Editor: The very act of producing multiples meant this image could be widely disseminated, thus amplifying Joshua's power and dominance throughout society at large. I appreciate you helping me see it not just as an image, but as an object with a complex story about its creation and circulation. Curator: And I find that reflecting on production, materials, and distribution changes my appreciation for this kind of print. Considering the labour, time and socio-political forces, these historical works speak in an accessible visual language we often overlook.