Heiligen in Friesland 1859 - 1896

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Heiligen in Friesland," created sometime between 1859 and 1896. It's an engraving, done in ink, by Gerardus Johannes Bos, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s visually quite busy. My first impression is one of a historical record, a series of vignettes documenting key moments. A map seems to underlie the images, which contributes to the sense of a specific place being represented. Curator: That's precisely it. The “Vaderlandsche Historieplaten,” or “Fatherland History Plates” seeks to create a national narrative around Frisian history. You see symbols there. Notice how Christian iconography—croziers, miters—intermingle with scenes of conflict and governance. Editor: The imagery of baptism is quite potent. The ritual cleansing is present in several panels, reinforcing this symbolic gesture. How much is this artwork commenting on power dynamics within Frisian society? Curator: Power dynamics are certainly at play, especially in representations of leadership, conflict, and spiritual authority. We must consider how the historical narratives chosen for representation, especially within the framework of 19th-century Dutch nationalism, tend to suppress marginalized narratives or lived realities. It privileges a specific idea of the Fatherland. Editor: But that's precisely why this image resonates, I think. These visual cues would connect the history to religious thought—the relationship between the holy and the profane—offering glimpses of how the people of that era saw their origins in the eyes of nation building and belief. Curator: I can agree on this: the image and these little scenes make claims and demands about how we, in the present, are supposed to read, inherit and inhabit Dutch history. Editor: Indeed. Through these panels, the artist constructs a powerful symbol of shared heritage and faith, both defining elements that speak across the ages.