Gezicht op Waux-Hall te Spa 1833

Editor: So this is Théodore Fourmois' "Gezicht op Waux-Hall te Spa," from 1833. It’s an engraving… it feels very architectural and precise, but also a bit…bleak? What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: The bleakness, as you say, is interesting, isn’t it? Let's think about the context. Spa, at this time, was a famous resort, and the Waux-Hall, a key part of its entertainment industry. However, prints like these weren't simply neutral documents. Consider the labor involved: the skilled engraver meticulously reproducing the image for mass consumption. Does the print democratize access to the architecture, or commodify it? Editor: I guess it's doing both? But what about Fourmois's role? Was he just a technician, or did he have an artistic vision? Curator: He's mediating the experience of Spa. The very process of translating the scene into an engraving changes its character. Look closely at the lines – repetitive, precise. Is that reflective of the industrial turn in this era? Also, think of the consumer - why buy a print of a fancy building? Editor: Maybe to show that you could afford to know about it? Kind of like… early tourism merch? So, we are not only viewing the image, but its history, and its means of creation? Curator: Precisely! It prompts us to consider the networks of production and consumption. The materiality of the print itself becomes significant, not just the scene it depicts. These lines all together point towards societal norms, labour conditions, consumerism; we're not just looking at a pretty building, but an active part of socio-economic life. Editor: Okay, I'll definitely look at prints differently now. Curator: And perhaps think about how seemingly 'high art' techniques like engraving could be linked to commercial and social spheres in interesting ways.