Spanjaarden in de Bommelerwaard, 1585 c. 1587 - 1591

Curator: This is Frans Hogenberg's "Spanjaarden in de Bommelerwaard, 1585," dating from around 1587 to 1591. It's a print made with drawing, ink, and engraving techniques. Editor: The scene is bustling. What first strikes me is how this seemingly neutral depiction of a landscape is teeming with conflict. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, beyond a straightforward historical record, what this image communicates is the fraught political landscape of the Dutch Revolt. Consider the "Spanjaarden" – the Spanish – they’re depicted invading the Bommelerwaard, an area strategically crucial for control of the Netherlands. What sociopolitical elements are at play here? Editor: I see a power dynamic. The work highlights the aggressors. The level of detail dedicated to rendering the ships and the fortifications suggests it may emphasize the militaristic strategy of that period. I am thinking it is an intentional depiction that illustrates the foreign invaders in the landscape. Curator: Precisely! Hogenberg’s work, made through printmaking, had a wide circulation, therefore functioning as visual propaganda. His engravings often showcased battles, rebellions, and political events from a distinct point of view. Given the time, what effect could this have? Editor: If I consider it that way, this depiction would aim at galvanizing a sense of national identity in resistance to Spanish rule, creating "us versus them". I wonder how people at the time would perceive this image? Curator: Indeed! We should reflect on this landscape less as a mere backdrop but more as a stage upon which these power dynamics unfold, revealing a complex interplay between territory, identity, and resistance. Thanks, your insight has deepened my view. Editor: I have enjoyed investigating Hogenberg's work using those contexts.