Hier ziet gij 't lang beleg; dat Deventer eens duldde / Toen 't snoode Fransch gespuis de maar de boosheid v[(...)] / Het wilde weêrstand biên en hadt in deze stadt, / Door de ijselstroom gedekt, hardnekkig post gevat 1814 - 1848

Curator: This etching by Mindermann & Co., created sometime between 1814 and 1848, titled "Hier ziet gij 't lang beleg; dat Deventer eens duldde," really throws you back in time, doesn’t it? It's almost like peering through a crack in history. Editor: It definitely has that feel! It's a series of small scenes, almost like a comic strip, depicting a battle or siege. The landscape is very stylized. What exactly is going on here? Curator: What jumps out at you in terms of the overall feeling, irrespective of what’s happening? Does it feel like triumph, loss, a bit of both maybe woven in this moment? Editor: It feels... chaotic. Like a messy, confusing struggle. Maybe more of a somber feel since the ending isn't obvious, just struggle. The figures seem very small against the landscape, making them seem insignificant in the face of this historical event. Curator: Yes, good! It makes me consider: Is the artist trying to comment on the futility of war, despite the supposed heroism of it all? And what about the text above each image? Does that strike you as informative captions, or perhaps something more… emotional? Editor: Well, if it's anything like historical ballads or tales from the time, there's probably a mix of propaganda, factual depiction, and good old fashioned patriotism all swirled in together. Curator: Exactly! So even what seems to be a clear depiction of history can also be read through layers of sentiment, wouldn't you say? Editor: I think so. It shows me that even what looks like a simple image is loaded with all sorts of potential interpretations. I had been stuck on the chaotic nature of the image itself and forgot to look into context, time and background! Curator: Well, looking is only the beginning, the exciting part comes next: seeing.