Gezicht op het Sint-Pietersgasthof, 1544

Editor: Here we have "View of the St. Peter's Hospice, 1544", but this engraving comes from 1729 and is by Johannes van Septeren. It has such a sparse and remote feel to it. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Well, let’s think about what's physically here: an engraver in 1729 depicting a building from 1544. The layering of production is key. What materials were used? The paper itself, the ink, the metal plate for the engraving - each tells a story about labor and trade in the 18th century. It's not just about representing the hospice. It is also about the labour of printmaking in the 1700's. Editor: So, less about the historical depiction, more about the process that got us here? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the lines are etched, and how they give shape to our understanding of craft, which in this instance serves to depict this building. It’s a commodity made for consumption. How does this reframe our reading of the historical event it's supposedly documenting? What’s being consumed here: art or information? Editor: Interesting…so even this seemingly simple landscape offers insight into a far broader network of materials and their role in society. I’ll definitely think about art-making and the role of materials in everything now. Curator: Glad I could assist in showing this relationship. Keep that in mind, and it can shape how you view every piece!