Heldendaad van de huzaar Menier, bij Druten in 1795 1818

Editor: This print, "Heldendaad van de huzaar Menier, bij Druten in 1795," created in 1818 by Antoine Pierre Mongin, depicts a military scene. It has an intense, almost chaotic feeling, heightened by the detailed engraving. What story do you think this image is trying to tell us, and how does it fit within the context of its time? Curator: Well, seeing this image through an activist lens demands we unpack the narratives it presents. The 'heroic deed' it depicts, likely a glorification of military action, must be questioned. Who benefits from portraying war as heroic? Who is rendered invisible? Consider the social context: this was made after the Napoleonic era but reflects a mindset of the pre-revolutionary period. Notice the composition. It focuses on the central heroic figure while obscuring the potential violence enacted upon those deemed ‘enemy’. How does this representation serve power structures? Editor: So you are saying it's not just about recording history but shaping it? The choice to depict the scene this way is not accidental, but reinforces particular ideologies? Curator: Precisely. The ‘hero’ becomes a symbol used to legitimise political and military actions, a familiar visual strategy throughout history. Furthermore, we should ask what is absent from the image. Where are the voices of the colonized, the poor, the women affected by war? By centering one figure, the artwork silences other narratives. Editor: That’s a powerful way to look at it. I was initially focused on the artistic skill involved in the printmaking. Now I see it's much more about critically examining the message and who it serves. Curator: Exactly. What might an alternative depiction of this same event look like, one that considers the lived experiences of all those affected? Considering these alternative narratives brings into question the values perpetuated here. Editor: This conversation really made me think differently about art’s role in society and the messages that can be subtly woven into seemingly straightforward historical depictions. Curator: Indeed, recognising these embedded ideologies within the artistic expressions enables us to advocate for inclusive representations.