Achilles tussen de dochters van Lycomedes 1837 - 1843

Editor: This is "Achilles tussen de dochters van Lycomedes", made between 1837 and 1843 by the Gebroeders van Lier. It’s an engraving, so it's black and white, with lots of people. There's a distinct theatrical atmosphere. It looks like a scene from a play, everyone frozen in their pose. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, a visual whisper from another era! Look at the choreography of gestures, each pointing towards a concealed truth. Doesn't it strike you as rather a cerebral game of disguise? It’s neoclassicism playing peek-a-boo, hinting at classical heroism but softened for a 19th-century audience. Where do you think the real drama lies - is it in the exposed armor or in the subtle sidelong glances? Editor: The armor, definitely. That soldier revealing himself amidst all the ladies feels like the climax, but the expressions are hard to read... Almost too elegant. I wonder if it’s a critique or celebration of heroism? Curator: A superb question. Perhaps it’s neither fully celebrating nor critiquing. Maybe it presents a bittersweet compromise, a heroic echo resonating within domesticity, printed on paper instead of enacted on a battlefield. Think of those Lier brothers, toiling over those engraved lines. A kind of heroism in itself, isn’t it? Editor: So it's less about the grand narrative of Achilles, and more about the… process? Curator: Precisely. It encourages us to consider not just what is depicted but also how and why, making the experience of looking itself the primary subject. These historical scenes offer interesting reflections, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely. I’m walking away with a lot more than just a pretty picture in mind. Thanks for opening my eyes to it!