Deur en panelen met medaillon 1772 - 1779

Curator: Oh, hello! What a cool geometric line etching we have here. Jean Pelletier made it sometime between 1772 and 1779. It’s called “Deur en panelen met medaillon” which translates to “Door and panels with medallion," found at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s so neat! The symmetry gives a really orderly feeling; everything's very controlled and precise. Do you know what the paper material is? I can nearly smell that cool, faint old library fragrance when I stare at it! Curator: Not sure exactly on the paper type itself. Pelletier probably envisioned this for an entrance hall—grand but restrained. It’s firmly in the Neoclassical period, you can notice the medallion's clean lines with classical figures set to almost industrial geometry in this particular sketch. The very essence of idealized form, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely! Though that perfect geometry makes it somewhat clinical. There isn’t really, you know, a heart, in here, a breath. The artist emphasizes the *idea* of perfection rather than, well, anything natural. Perhaps there’s a slight imperfection at play? It can’t be real! I'm definitely getting history painting themes too here, something cold and austere— Curator: Well, perhaps there's a hint of a bygone era that feels emotionally distant. But the design shows superb craftsmanship. Notice how the fine parallel lines create texture within the panels. You are right about perfection: they highlight Pelletier’s deep understanding of spatial relations. It is an illusion of a world that does not exist! Editor: Hmm. Still strikes me as rather cold for an entry space, despite the attempt. Curator: Possibly! Then the aim isn't really to enter but to suggest. After all it *is* just an idea! Editor: True, true. Still, so orderly! Like looking into a perfectly crafted dream that you can never quite touch. The beauty, though intellectual, it must be admitted.