Opening van het vredescongres te Utrecht, 1712 1712

Editor: Here we have Pieter Schenk’s “Opening van het vredescongres te Utrecht, 1712,” an engraving showcasing the opening of the peace conference. It feels… very orderly. Everything is meticulously arranged, from the delegates to the medallions hanging on the walls. I wonder, what grabs your attention in this print? Curator: Orderly is certainly one word for it, though I feel there's also a delightful chaos bubbling underneath. The room is dominated by that immense, almost comically large, round table. It’s like a stage, and everyone is vying for their moment in the spotlight, or at least, to be noticed in the composition. Notice the medallions – aren’t they peculiar? Little portrait stages surrounding a stage! Almost too good to be true – as if they might burst into song like in a cartoon. Does the overall effect convey power, formality, the hope of reconciliation…or is something slightly ‘off’? Editor: That's an interesting point about the medallions feeling performative. Maybe there’s an element of skepticism woven in. I hadn’t really considered it, but do you think Schenk is subtly critiquing the whole spectacle? Curator: Perhaps. The Baroque was a theatrical period, no? And this print *is* Baroque! Remember, prints like this served as news broadcasts of their day. There was always a bit of showmanship and propaganda. Schenk’s capturing an event, yes, but also crafting an image – a very deliberate image of power. The truth may be somewhere lost behind all of it. Where do *you* think truth lies in artwork? Editor: That's something I need to continue to consider with everything I view from now on. This print’s attention to detail definitely makes it stand out. I appreciate you providing more insight into it and Schenk's possible motivations. Curator: And I your thoughtful eye, that will change the way I experience historical depictions like this from now on. Cheers!