Krijgsverrigtingen / Voetvolk 1856 - 1900

This print, "Krijgsverrigtingen/Voetvolk" or "Military Exercises/Infantry," was made by Glenisson & Zonen, using a method known as engraving. This is an image crafted not with a paintbrush, but with the precise cut of a tool. Look closely and you can see how the artist has created a series of figures to showcase the uniforms and stances of soldiers. This wasn't just about aesthetics; it was about standardization. Every line, color, and angle served a purpose, depicting the ideal of military precision and order. Engraving as a process requires painstaking labor, especially for the precise replication needed for each soldier. This image highlights the relationship between craft and the military, between labor and the machinery of war, and serves as a reminder that even what we see as art is often deeply embedded in wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. Ultimately, it's a reminder that even seemingly simple prints are complex products of culture, labor, and ideology.