De doodskist van Ledenberg aan de galg, 1619 1619 - 1699

Editor: This engraving, titled "The Coffin of Ledenberg at the Gallows, 1619" shows a coffin hanging prominently from a gallows. It looks like the artist is Anonymous, and the artwork is currently held at the Rijksmuseum. There’s a real bleakness to it, a harshness in the lines. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the material statement being made. Here, the printing press—a revolutionary tool of mass production—is used to disseminate an image of state-sanctioned violence inflicted upon a body, even in death. What does it mean to circulate this image widely, turning Ledenberg's execution into a commodity for consumption? Editor: So, it's not just about the act itself, but also about how the image is circulated? Curator: Precisely. The act of engraving and printing transforms the corporeal punishment into a repeatable object. The labor involved—the engraver's skill, the printer's work, the distribution networks—all contribute to the overall meaning. Think about the paper itself; its production, trade routes, and availability at the time. How does that inform our understanding of its accessibility? Editor: I guess I hadn't thought about the paper as being a statement in itself. So it’s a commentary on not only this historical moment but the ability to make these sorts of prints available on a larger scale for public consumption? Curator: Exactly! It implicates the viewer. The print becomes a tool of propaganda and warning, cheaply bought and easily distributed. Consider also, if the intention was not just to denounce but also a form of commodified retribution, and how it could perpetuate societal violence through an accessible and reproductive medium. Editor: This perspective really shifts how I see the piece. Now I am looking past just a grim illustration but how its construction played a huge role in the art itself. Curator: Indeed! Focusing on materiality unveils the processes and networks that empower the image's sociopolitical power.