Mons, Capital of Hainaut c. 17th century

Curator: This is Sébastien Le Clerc the elder’s “Mons, Capital of Hainaut.” Though undated, it depicts the siege of Mons in 1691. What leaps out at you? Editor: It’s like a dance of smoke and fire—a brutal ballet. The plumes feel almost celebratory, yet the scene is undeniably violent. There is a strange beauty in destruction. Curator: Indeed. Le Clerc, born in 1637, captures not just the siege, but also the theater of war, with that procession of soldiers in the foreground. Editor: I see these sieges as powerful symbols of cultural and political shifts, the relentless tide of change crashing against the walls of tradition. Curator: A potent reminder that even the most fortified cities can crumble, not just physically, but as emblems of a certain era. Editor: Leaving us to ponder what new symbols will rise from the ashes.