Gezicht op Veere, met het spreekwoord: de ene blinde leidt de andere 1598

Pieter Bast’s etching of Veere, circa 1592, presents a townscape defined by intricate lines and contrasts of light. The composition draws our eye from the detailed architecture to the proverb enacted in the foreground: “the blind leading the blind.” Bast uses the formal structure of the print to explore themes of human folly and perception. The proverb becomes a structural metaphor; the careful lines constructing the buildings contrast sharply with the chaotic stumble of the figures. The buildings stand firm, built upon clarity and reason, while the figures succumb to disarray. The choice of etching allows for fine details, emphasizing the difference between the precision of the architectural forms and the precariousness of human actions. Bast’s play on perspective heightens the symbolic weight of the scene, drawing attention to the underlying moral structure of the artwork and its critical commentary on human behavior.