Diplomacy: A Discussion in Three Parts (3/3)

/

manoella, 11-14, brazil, checkmate [pen and watercolour on paper], never such innocence archives, london, (photo © never such innocence)

Now that we’ve finished discussing the public input into foreign policy and diplomatic relationships, let’s explore artwork related to diplomatic concepts. Manoella’s [11-14, Brazil] painting “Checkmate” shows a faceless figure moving soldier figurines around a chess board. Both hands outreached to the left and right implies he is representative of both sides of the game of war, a symbol of all war leaders. She writes “He does not have eyes, he became blind to the truth” referring to the blank expression on the man’s face. Diplomatic discussions are often seen as the most important part of war in order to de-escalate conflict and come up with agreements to avoid as much damage as possible. The single person in the composition and the piles of knocked down figurines on the side next to the tanks, may mean that Manoella is painting the leader as an instigator for conflict as he “plays with other's lives”, which may refer to the fact that since leaders of conflict are usually not in the midst of conflict they don’t see the conflict as being made of actual people but rather tools. The lack of other visible people also means there is no one else to calm down the violent game. Because of this realisation, another interpretation may be that due to the perspective, the viewer is the second player (as Chess is a two player game) and the viewer is expected to communicate with the other side as an ambassador or another form of a diplomat to come up with a way that one side doesn’t unfairly get hurt but rather a mutual decision to step back and stop the conflict (aka a draw). This work was picked for this topic as an example of what happens without diplomatic conversation. The leaders as representatives of their own people make sure that their own people are protected and not affected by other political wants like land and power.

Holbein the Younger, H. (1533). The Ambassadors. [Oil on Wood], The National Gallery, UK.

A painting that reflects the benefits of Diplomacy and diplomatic relationships is The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger. Jean de Dinteville is in red on the left, on a diplomatic mission on behalf of Francis I, King of France, and Georges de Selve, Bishop of Lavaur is on the left. The objects in the middle are from both countries and allude to concepts of conflict. Painted after the divorce of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, it reflects on tensions surrounding England having split from the Roman Catholic Church and establishing its own form of protestantism (The Church of England) so that the King may marry Anne Boleyn. The maths book is slightly open on the page about division, another book, the Lutheran Hymn book, is open on two pages that don’t appear together on the actual book - ‘Come Holy Ghost’ and the ‘Ten Commandments’ - which refer to christian unity and suggests France wants England to rejoin the Roman Catholic Church. But like Manoella’s artwork all is not as it seems, there is a blur on the painting where if you walk to the right of the painting at a certain angle you’ll see an anatomical skull. Try it yourself by tilting your screen or walking to the right of your screen to see it clearer. This can also be seen as a metaphor for Diplomacy itself as the whole point of international discussion is seeing things from another perspective. 

Art and Diplomacy may not seem like obvious partners, but as we've explored, they have a powerful relationship. Art can bridge divides, spark conversations, and even influence international policy. From ancient tapestries to modern graphic novels, art provides a unique lens through which to view conflict, diplomacy, and the human experience. How can you use your creative expression to bring up important topics to your leaders? How can you use Art and Diplomacy to answer the question “How Can We Prevent Future Wars?”

Further Reading:

  • Heard, K. (2023). Holbein at the Tudor Court. Royal Collection Trust.

  • Holbein, H. (2022). Delphi Complete Works of Hans Holbein the Younger (Illustrated). Delphi Classics.

  • Zoom-in and learn more about The Ambassadors here: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/hans-holbein-the-younger-the-ambassadors

  • (fiction) Finder, J. (2017). The Switch. Dutton.

  • (fiction) Greene, G. (2017). Our man in Havana : an entertainment. London Macmillan Collector’s Library.

  • (fiction) Silva, D. (2018). The unlikely spy. New York: Berkley.

Full List From Other Bibliographies In This Diplomacy Series:

  • Musgrove, D. (2024) The Story of the Bayeux Tapestry: Unravelling the Norman Conquest, NY, NY, Thames & Hudson

  • Bridgeford, A. (2017), 1066: The Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry. London, UK, Harper Perennial

  • Textiles and politics: Unravel Exhibition Guide (2023) Barbican. Available at: https://www.barbican.org.uk/exhibition-guides/unravel-exhibition-guide (Accessed: 2025)

  • BAYEUX MUSEUM (2017). Explore the Bayeux Tapestry online. [online] Bayeux Museum. Available at: https://www.bayeuxmuseum.com/en/the-bayeux-tapestry/discover-the-bayeux-tapestry/explore-online/ .

  • Tzu, S. (2017). THE ART OF WAR (Giles Translation). e-artnow.

  • Malala Yousafzai and Welch, L. (2019). We are displaced : my journey and stories from refugee girls around the world. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

  • Rich, K. (2018). Girls resist! : a Guide to activism, leadership, and Starting a Revolution. Philadelphia: Quirk Books.

  • What causes Huntington S. P. (1968) Political order in changing societies. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press

  • Marshall, T. (2016). Prisoners of geography : ten maps that explain everything about the world. New York, NY: Scribner.

  • Violence against Women in Mexico: United Nations (2023). ‘We’re here to tell it:’ Mexican women break silence over femicides. [online] OHCHR. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2023/07/were-here-tell-it-mexican-women-break-silence-over-femicides.

  • Indigenous women’s rights group in Manipur India who helped get soldiers punished for the death of Luingamla: Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL) (2024). Uniting Women for Justice - Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL) -. [online] Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL) - Enhancing women’s potential. Available at: https://tangkhulshanaolong.com [Accessed 15 Jan. 2025].

  • Abdel-Fattah, R. (2016). When Michael met Mina. Sydney, N.S.W.: Pan Macmillan Australia.

  • Amnesty International (2015). We are all born free : the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in pictures. London: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books.

  • Camerini, V., Carratello, V. and Moreno Giovannoni (2021). Greta’s story : the schoolgirl who went on strike to save the planet. New York, Ny: Aladdin.

  • Margolin, J. (2020). Youth to power : your voice and how to use it. New York: Go, Hachette Books.

  • Pascoe, B. (2019). Young dark emu: A truer history. Broome, W.A.: Magabala Books.

  • Rich, K. (2018). Girls resist! : a guide to activism, leadership, and starting a revolution. Philadelphia: Quirk Books.

  • Thunberg, G. (2019). No one is too small to make a difference. Uk: Penguin Books.