Triomfzuil opgericht voor het stadhuis, 1685 1685

Curator: We are now looking at Gaspar Bouttats’ engraving from 1685, "Triomfzuil opgericht voor het stadhuis," or, "Triumphal Column Erected for the City Hall". Editor: Immediately, I see this image as quite busy. So many meticulously drawn objects all piled on top of each other! The monument is almost overwhelmed by the accumulation of detail. Curator: Yes, and it is precisely this piling of recognizable forms that constructs its meaning. Bouttats rendered this column to commemorate an important historical moment in Antwerp. The image acts as a visual archive, collecting the city’s history through symbolism. Editor: Could you elaborate on those symbolic forms? I'm drawn to the base. Is that a cave? Curator: It appears so. This chaotic cluster at the base transitions upwards, where we see cannons, then tiers of carefully rendered arms and armor, capped by an array of billowing flags. Each section represents power: military might and civic authority displayed in a hierarchical order. Editor: So the city's power is communicated via verticality and accumulation. I notice that each level contains repeated forms – sets of flags, groups of spears. Curator: Indeed, repetition becomes a visual echo, emphasizing each specific tier of the monument. Think about the precise line work, which mimics the engravings used to reproduce classical texts. By emulating the forms of high culture, Bouttats attempts to elevate Antwerp’s status. Editor: That’s fascinating. I initially saw the details as overwhelming, but I now see how they function as visual cues, constructing a layered statement of power and ambition. Curator: Yes, it is the deliberate layering that gives the print its full rhetorical force. Editor: I’ll certainly view commemorative monuments differently after considering Bouttats’ engraving. Thanks!