Het trouwen zal, zo lang de waereld staat, geschien. / Dit doet u deeze prent, met zyn sieraaden zien 1715 - 1813

Editor: This print, "Het trouwen zal, zo lang de waereld staat, geschien. / Dit doet u deeze prent, met zyn sieraaden zien," roughly translates to "Marriage will occur as long as the world exists/This print will show you it's ornaments." It's an engraving, likely from sometime between 1715 and 1813 and attributed to J. Robyn. I find its layout fascinating; two scenes, one above the other. What jumps out at you in terms of its form? Curator: The bifurcated composition presents a clear visual distinction, allowing us to engage with each scene independently before considering their potential relationship. Note the strong linearity inherent in the engraving technique. How does this emphasis on line contribute to the overall aesthetic? Editor: It gives a rather stiff feel to the characters and also defines the shapes, of course. Each scene feels contained. Is that deliberate? Curator: Precisely. Consider the lines not merely as outlines, but as structuring elements. Observe how they delineate space, separate figures, and create a sense of order. Even within the "quirky sketch," a structure presides. Editor: So, you are looking at how the artist builds this overall organization for each box to fit together formally. Curator: The repetition of the horse and the stylistic treatment of figures function to echo compositional balance within both. One could say it proposes the idea of marriage through similar structural values? How might viewing them as separate planes further affect our interpretation? Editor: Interesting... Maybe that even if marriages have their up-and-down moments that the tradition itself provides some sense of structure. Well, looking at the piece, knowing this, provides an interesting formalist approach. Curator: Indeed. Attending to structure unveils deeper resonance beyond any illustrative quality it might initially possess.