Beleg van La Rochelle, september 1627-oktober 1628 (randwerk, deel middenonder) 1628 - 1631

Editor: This print, "Siege of La Rochelle, September 1627-October 1628," by Michel Lasne, made between 1628 and 1631, seems overwhelmingly about power. So much weaponry surrounding this royal portrait...it's quite intense! What strikes you most when you look at this, Professor? Curator: It whispers to me of theatre, that heightened drama so beloved by the Baroque. All those meticulously rendered flags and instruments of war act as stage dressing, don’t they? It is designed to proclaim victory but seems caught in the ambiguity of history; notice how it is just a segment of the border! Perhaps a piece in a story larger than our field of vision allows? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way – almost a snapshot, versus the whole scene. So, is Lasne suggesting there's more to this siege than just one triumphant image? Curator: Precisely! Perhaps Lasne means to hint at the longer and wider implications. Take that central portrait, crowned and encircled: who is that figure, really? Is that an honest portrayal, or one designed to evoke loyalty, respect, or even fear? Those eyes following us around the room--doesn't that add a delicious layer of theatricality? Editor: That makes me think about how carefully staged these kinds of images would need to be, and how, depending on who it was for, the details might change quite a bit. Curator: Exactly! It begs us to ask ourselves, ‘What are we *not* seeing? Whose perspective is absent here?' It is what floats just beyond the visual surface where, I think, much of the piece’s resonance resides. The artist teases us toward a far richer tableau… Editor: It feels so much richer, understanding the nuances. Thanks for sharing your insight! Curator: A pleasure! Remember to question everything--and always look beyond what is readily seen.