Oorlog tusschen Rusland en Turkije in 1828 / Guerre entre la Russie et la Turquie en 1828 1800 - 1833

This is Philippus Jacobus Brepols’s print from 1828, titled "War between Russia and Turkey in 1828", made using etching and engraving. This series of images attempts to capture the Russo-Turkish War, a conflict largely overshadowed by the more romanticized narratives of European wars. Brepols, working in the Netherlands, offers a perspective that acknowledges the geopolitical struggles further afield. What’s striking is the seeming detachment in the imagery. Each scene, meticulously rendered, lacks a certain emotional depth; battlefields are neatly organized. It's as if the violence is happening at a remove. This distance may reflect a broader European attitude towards conflicts involving non-European powers. There is a tension here. Does the artist intend to inform, to glorify, or simply to document? Perhaps it’s all of these, tangled together, reflecting the complex ways war is perceived and represented. Look closely and consider how narratives of conflict are constructed. Think about the stories that get told, and the ones that are left out.