Nachtelijke overval 1670 - 1740

Curator: What a wonderfully frantic piece! This is "Nachtelijke overval," a work made somewhere between 1670 and 1740 by Gilliam van der Gouwen. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It appears to be an etching or engraving… It has a wonderfully chaotic feel. What strikes you about it? Editor: The intensity for sure! Also, how much work went into this tiny little image? All those tiny lines to create the light and dark – I imagine the creation process was grueling! What can you tell me about this engraving’s materiality in relation to its subject matter? Curator: Exactly. Consider the historical context. Engraving and etching, while capable of incredible detail, were also reproductive technologies. This allowed for the relatively cheap and wide dissemination of imagery, including scenes of conflict like this one. The very *materiality* of this print speaks to a potential market hungry for vicarious thrills and perhaps even cautionary tales, made possible through a burgeoning print culture. Does the print format shift how you understand the artist's intentions? Editor: It does. The "grueling" process you mentioned makes me think about labor, too, and its relation to the artist's production in that era. That changes everything. Curator: Think further about labor. Who exactly benefited? The artist? The publisher? The consumer? These reproductive technologies relied upon a complex network of skilled artisans. Editor: That's true! It makes me wonder who these artisans were and how much control they really had. Now that I think of the social network surrounding the piece, it really expands the narrative of the work and provides more understanding of what story it's telling beyond the superficial subject of a nightly raid. Thanks for shining light on the materials that crafted its history! Curator: Indeed. And by acknowledging these overlooked facets of its genesis, it allows one to consider whose perspectives were privileged by its visual impact, while recognizing all the processes that permitted it to endure for posterity.