Lijkstatie van de hertog van Parma, 1592 1592 - 1594

Curator: Look at this remarkable print, "Lijkstatie van de hertog van Parma, 1592" by Frans Hogenberg. Created between 1592 and 1594, it captures the funeral procession of the Duke of Parma, a significant historical moment rendered in detailed engraving. Editor: It feels like a city breathing a collective sigh. The mood is so somber, yet grand, like a heavy blanket draped over the buildings. I feel drawn to the figures cloaked in mourning, forming such perfect geometry from above. Curator: Indeed! Hogenberg masterfully uses the linear style, typical of Northern Renaissance prints, to narrate this historical event. The procession winds through the city, almost a symbolic river carrying away the Duke's legacy. Notice the precision; each figure is meticulously rendered. The procession moves away and fades into the background near a church to the left and another crowd gathering near the entrance. Editor: I'm curious about that procession, that line snaking through the city. Snakes have long represented transition and sometimes wisdom, don't you think? A medieval interpretation might be temptation, but perhaps here it's a wisdom gained, or lost, by Parma. This is also what the Duke's body is experiencing and transitioning from. Curator: Fascinating interpretation! Consider that processions, historically, aren't just about mourning. They're also potent displays of power and social order. Hogenberg emphasizes this duality; sorrow mixed with the assertion of authority, capturing a snapshot in time. Editor: Symbolically, processions always imply a kind of order and rhythm. But here, there's something else. It’s the ghost of Parma moving throughout the very community he once led, both present and fading. His absence is a stark new order for these citizens. Curator: Very insightful, yes. It's a kind of memento mori, isn’t it? Editor: Absolutely! After looking closely at this print, I can't help but think about legacy, about the marks we leave, visible like this parade—yet always fading in time. Curator: I find that considering the historical and symbolic layers within the work has really illuminated for me a fresh awareness and a sense of connection to the world, the same today as it was then.