The Old Fortress 1840 - 1860

Editor: We're looking at "The Old Fortress," an oil on panel work created sometime between 1840 and 1860 by Louwrens Hanedoes. The composition really strikes me; the way the fortress and surrounding landscape are arranged, almost feels like a stage setting. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Formally, the painting exhibits a careful balance between architectural mass and natural form. Observe how the artist manipulates light to define the crenelated texture of the stone walls against the smoother reflections in the water. Consider also the use of aerial perspective to create depth,notice the subtly of tonal variation to indicate spatial recession. How do you interpret that effect? Editor: The recession creates a dreamlike state that distances us, in a beautiful manner, from reality. Why is there that gray tonality surrounding the architectural mass and landscape that helps accentuate this effect of spatial recession? Curator: That is a great point to note in relation to its surrealistic quality. It's the subdued palette and the atmospheric haze that envelop the scene. Consider how those techniques diminish the clarity of outlines, rendering a more diffused and perhaps subjective experience of the landscape. There is a play with the materiality. Editor: The soft rendering of the clouds almost mirrors the solidity of the fortress below, creating an interesting tension. Thanks! I never looked at it this way before. Curator: Indeed, considering the interplay between form and light, solidity and ethereality, allows us a deeper aesthetic experience. A valuable lesson indeed!