Triomf van de waarheid 1558 - 1656

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum we have an engraving called "Triumph of Truth." It was created sometime between 1558 and 1656, but the artist is anonymous. Editor: Whew, a lot’s going on. Baroque allegories, right? First impression? Claustrophobic heavenly bliss. So many tiny figures all crammed together. It gives me the shivers, like an overly enthusiastic school play. Curator: "Triumph of Truth" encapsulates the era's fervor for didactic imagery. Note how the radiant, central figure of Truth, surrounded by cherubs, hovers above earthly figures displaying various reactions to her unveiling. Editor: Oh, they are reacting. There's some intense, like, zealous eye-bulging down there. But is it really triumph? Look at the fallen crown and scepter. To me, it hints more at a violent uprooting, a system overturned. That poor snake doesn't seem happy either. Curator: Exactly. The discarded symbols represent earthly power being vanquished by divine knowledge. The figures below symbolize humanity grappling with this revelatory truth – denial, acceptance, fear… all mirrored in their postures. The putti convey the divinity's unearthly blissfulness. Editor: I get it, this clash between earthly struggle and divine serenity... the figures are dramatically arranged, like players on a stage, which reinforces that performance aspect. But the dense detail! The crosshatching creates such intensity that you can almost smell the ink, or the brimstone. Curator: Consider how line becomes meaning itself. The swirling lines of the clouds versus the sharper angles defining the human forms show an artificial contrast. It visually reinforces that this battle, the embrace of truth, remains an unfinished, almost uncomfortable transition. Editor: The discomfort is palpable! What seemed initially like an uplifting vision has, under closer inspection, unveiled a raw, messy encounter. That’s something to hold onto. Curator: Absolutely. And remembering its place in the socio-religious climate further underscores its cultural resonance, how Truth can be weaponized, defied, revered all at once. Thank you for sharing this fresh, insightful vision. Editor: My pleasure. Sometimes, a bit of shiver is just what you need.