Zware veldtocht in Vlaanderen, 1793 Possibly 1793 - 1795

Editor: This is "Zware veldtocht in Vlaanderen, 1793," or "Fatigues of the Campaign in Flanders" by James Gillray, made between 1793 and 1795. It's an etching, a kind of print. The scene is crowded and grotesque. The figures are really over-the-top caricatures of military figures enjoying some R&R. What is your take on this artwork? Curator: As a materialist, I immediately think of the production of this print. Consider the labour involved in creating the etching, the acid-biting process, the mass production possible through printmaking. This imagery would have been widely circulated and consumed. How does Gillray's choice of printmaking as a medium impact the social commentary he presents here? Editor: That's a great question! Because prints are reproducible, he can reach a much broader audience. Does that impact your interpretation? Curator: Absolutely. Gillray isn's making high art for the elites; he's disseminating his critique of military leadership to the masses. Note the lavish consumption of alcohol depicted – this imagery highlights the material excesses of the officers in contrast to the potential hardships faced by ordinary soldiers. It questions the allocation of resources during wartime. What else do you notice regarding the interplay of class and material conditions? Editor: Well, they seem pretty detached from what should be their job of soldiering... It seems more like they are at some kind of grotesque feast than in the middle of fighting a war. Curator: Exactly! And through that grotesque feast, Gillray implicates the social structures that permit, and even encourage such behavior, wouldn't you say? A powerful statement enabled by the materiality of the print medium itself! Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective on this seemingly chaotic image. I had never really considered the implications of its being an etching, it adds so much depth! Curator: It shows how focusing on materials and processes can illuminate the socio-political context of an artwork, and broaden our appreciation of art's social impact.