Prins Willem George Frederik in de slag bij Lannoy, 1793 1802

Curator: This print by Cornelis Brouwer, crafted in 1802, depicts "Prins Willem George Frederik in de slag bij Lannoy, 1793." It's an engraving that feels surprisingly dynamic, considering the medium. What’s your immediate sense of it? Editor: Grim, yet…glorified? It’s a dance with death performed on horseback. The sky’s roiling smoke is a visual metaphor for the turmoil beneath. Even as a print, it bleeds chaos. Curator: Exactly! And note the rigid lines of the soldiers against that turbulent sky, all rendered in meticulous detail. It epitomizes Neoclassicism’s interest in order even when representing historical battles. Do the symbolic elements speak to you? Editor: Loudly! Horses represent power and momentum. The Prince wielding his sword, literally cutting through the disarray—it’s about projecting authority and triumph over pandemonium, the very essence of war made manageable through pictorial conventions. That almost blinding white flag he wields is a classic element. Curator: True, though the white flag often signals surrender. Its deliberate placement here could suggest both authority and the ultimate consequence of warfare: defeat or capitulation, and in this case a propaganda in favor of the victor of course. Do you believe Brouwer achieves an effective portrayal of conflict? Editor: The scene certainly leans heavily into idealization; the battle seems more ceremonial than visceral, despite the suggestion of carnage on the ground. Everyone is so neatly uniformed! Yet, there’s undeniable skill in conveying movement and density in what would otherwise be static ink lines. Curator: Yes, and despite this being a war scene, Brouwer also integrates a rather detailed landscape aspect as well! Quite clever. So what is your last thought here? Editor: This engraving isn’t just a scene, it’s an assertion, a neatly packaged claim on a chaotic piece of history, a bold print that doesn't just depict war, but comments on its representation, too. Curator: Very astute, I feel like I see Brouwer's intentions more clearly thanks to our conversation! It certainly has a story to tell us!