Tafereelen uit de geschiedenis van ons vaderland, gedurende deszelfs vereeniging met Frankrijk. julij 1810-nov. 1813 1850 - 1881

Editor: This print, "Tafereelen uit de geschiedenis van ons vaderland…" by Dirk Noothoven van Goor, probably made between 1850 and 1881, depicts scenes from Dutch history during the French occupation as engravings, almost like a storyboard. The detail is amazing, but I’m struggling to connect with it emotionally. How do you see the work functioning visually? Curator: It appears we have a print utilizing the technique of engraving to narrate a series of historical events, grouped symmetrically in boxes. What strikes me is the contrast of the scenes – the assembly, the embarkation and so on. Focus less on their historic value, and think about the internal structures, line quality and how these different formal values relate to each other in this piece. The artist seems primarily interested in composition to communicate the narrative. Notice how each little scene leads the viewer to the next one on the page. Editor: So, the artist cared about how the scenes were visually arranged more than the historical accuracy itself? Curator: I would say the compositional balance seems to dominate the presentation and perception. Are you interested in the perspective lines used in the outdoor scenes? Or in the geometry that controls the structure? Perhaps more study will enlighten us about those specific elements. Editor: I was drawn to the little stories. But seeing how the engravings are neatly organised emphasizes the visual relationships in the page design itself! Thanks. Curator: Indeed. Formally engaging, we can see this historical scene anew.