Beleg van Stralsund, 1628 1628 - 1630

This print, “Beleg van Stralsund, 1628,” was made by Frans Hogenberg, probably sometime around that year. It's an etching, meaning the artist would have painstakingly drawn the scene into a wax-covered metal plate, then bathed it in acid. Now, the image shows the siege of Stralsund during the Thirty Years’ War. What I find interesting is the way the technique itself – etching – mirrors the subject. It’s a process of controlled aggression, of biting into the material to produce an image. Look at the level of detail achieved through line work. It's like a topography of conflict, etched in miniature. Consider the labour involved: the meticulous drawing, the chemical processes, the printing. This wasn’t just a depiction of war; it was a product of it, relying on a whole chain of production. In essence, this print is a reminder that even art is never separate from social and political struggle.