Beeld van Vigilantia (Waakzaamheid) op de achtergevel van het Stadhuis op de Dam 1663 - 1783

Curator: Look at this drawing. It represents Vigilantia, or Vigilance, sculpted for the rear facade of the Town Hall of Amsterdam, now the Royal Palace. Hubert Quellinus created the original sculpture between 1663 and 1783, and this is a later engraving. Editor: She exudes such calm, even with that torch blazing! The detail in the drapery and the hatching creates a beautiful texture and volume. And I adore how the eye is drawn down to the rooster at her feet. There's something simultaneously assertive and peaceful about her. Curator: It’s carefully crafted to project civic virtue. Vigilantia, draped in classical robes, embodies watchfulness, an essential quality for good governance. Her armor symbolizes strength and readiness. And she stands poised to defend Amsterdam against any threat. Editor: And that rooster, always associated with the dawn. He doesn't miss a thing, a great emblem to sit at her feet, really hammering home the ever-watchful angle. And the book, maybe alluding to records, laws or a commitment to intellectual vigilance. I wonder how Amsterdammers at the time read the symbolic value in this figure? Curator: The Town Hall itself was a deliberate statement of Amsterdam's republican values and economic power. A sculpture like Vigilantia would have served as a constant visual reminder to the city’s elites but to all citizens of the ideals they were supposed to uphold. It projected Amsterdam's image both inwards and outwards. Editor: Thinking of this now in context, I feel a real gravity. Vigilance wasn't just about looking for external threats, I see a need to be observant in maintaining the very values of its citizens. Fascinating. Curator: Indeed, an artwork designed to promote vigilance and civic responsibility reminds us today of the public role of art in society and culture. Editor: Absolutely. It invites you to ponder: what are our symbols of watchfulness today and how do they reinforce shared values and hold civic leaders accountable?