Good Times, Bad Times Printings Show Slovak Glory, Misery Through History by Jeff Davis The Slovak Republic remembers its history of ups and downs, of triumph and tragedy, and its pride in the rich culture that has endured through these periods in an exhibit of 16th- and 17th-century Central European printings titled ìGlory and Misery,î now on display at the Slovak Embassy. Presented through engravings and etchings of coronations, sacred scenes, battles and views of towns, the exhibit portrays the history of a people who lived through times of both glory and misery. The exhibit also comes at a pivotal point in Slovakian history, as the country prepares to join the European Union in May 2004. As such, the Slovak Republic wants the world to know that it is and ìhas always been a part of Europe, despite the last 50 years of communism,î said the embassyís cultural attachÈ, Igor Otcenas. The embassy succeeds in proving its point, demonstrating the countryís active culture and complex history by beginning the exhibit with examples of the different types of printings. One of the first engravings is ìThe Virgin Mary in a Niche Adorned by Angels,î where Mary smiles as she holds a baby Je sus, with angels and bright light surrounding the scene. The theme of glory continues with a coronation scene in ìCoronation of Matthew II in Bratislava in 1608.î Like most of the coronation printings of the time, the engraving presents the ceremony and the events surrounding it in the town of Bratislava, reflecting a source of pride in Slovakia that ties in with the embassyís goals. ìSlovakia is the place where the kings lived,î Otcenas said. Although most coronation depictions are of the town as a whole, showing the activities spread throughout the area to honor the king, several other engravings show a frame-by-frame presentation of coronations, as seen in ìCoronation of Ferdinand III in Sopron in 1625.î Because the black plague was terrorizing Bratislava, Ferdinand III was crowned in town of Sopron, and the engraving depicting this event is different from other traditional coronation printings. Instead of an overall view of the town, the engraver shows various scenes, with a large image of the coronation itself in the center surrounded by smaller images of other events. Although different from the typical coronation image, this type of printing also effectively reinforces the notion of kingly glory. At the same time, the opening of the exhibit also represents the miserable side of Slovakiaís history with ìThe Lamentation,î a printing that depicts the death of Christ with mourners surrounding his body. The faces of the mourners are full of grief, with enough detail to distinguish the tears on some of the mournersí faces. An interesting aspect of these engravings is the use of light and dark to portray the dueling nature of glory and misery. In ìMartyrdom of St. Apollonia,î the misery is shown through dark swirling clouds and shadowy faces within the piece. Angels turn over in turmoil in the dark clouds as the saint below is killed. The opposite use of light is evident in various other printings, including ìLeopold I Presenting the Crown to Joseph I.î Here, bright rays of light strike down from the thin clouds above onto the crown in the emperorís hand as he presents it to his son Joseph, conveying a sense of happiness and the glory of an era. The last category of printings presented in the exhibit also offers intriguing contrasts. Although the engravings of towns are peaceful and simple, the depictions of battle scenes use heavy lines and complex configurations to show the darker images. In ìView of Bratislava From the North,î a small, tranquil village features rolling hills that fall into the Danube River off in the distance. Although depictions of the townís fortifications are not believed to be accurate and are merely a proposal, the text below the image is an accurate guide to the town and its history. Unlike the town scenes, the battle images are darker and use thicker lines. In ìConquest of the Fortress of NovÈ Z·mky in 1663,î massive groups of dark lines comprise an army that attacks a fortress, emitting huge billows of smoke from their cannons. The defenders inside the fortress are few and scattered while the attackers envelope their complex. The presentation uses the same idea of light and dark to convey the glory of the Slovaks and the misery or evil of the invaders. Through ìGlory and Misery,î one can appreciate the history of Slovakia as well as its place in European society today. As an embassy with a tradition of cultural activity and involvement, the Slovakian diplomats promise more in the future as they await the arrival of their new ambassador. ì[The incoming ambassador] understands the culture,î Otcenas said, ìso weíll definitely be continuing what we have achieved culturally.î ìGlory and Miseryî runs through Sept. 7 at the Slovakian Embassy, 3523 International Court, NW. For more information, please call (202) 237-1054 or visit www.slovakembassy-us.org. Jeff Davis is an editorial intern for The Washington Diplomat.