Weergave van verschillende coulissen op het toneel 1704 - 1733

Curator: Here we have Jacobus Schijnvoet's "Weergave van verschillende coulissen op het toneel," a drawing and engraving dating from around 1704 to 1733. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Staging, framing, theatrical—it’s all a bit stagey, isn't it? As if life itself were a meticulously designed performance. Curator: Exactly. Schijnvoet dissects the mechanics of theatrical illusion. The work visually unpacks how stage designers use perspective to create depth with layered scenery. The drawing is divided into three sections, each showing a different approach to this technique. Notice the emphasis on spatial relationships, with meticulous measurements. It demystifies the magician's trick. Editor: It is about the means of production, I see. The underbelly of the stage! Like looking at the scaffolding rather than the cathedral. But I like this idea of breaking down the artifice; exposing how these worlds were built...brick by virtual brick, perhaps? Almost an architectural diagram of make-believe. And it gives a view into how theatre functioned as a means to engage social issues of the era. Curator: It speaks to a growing consumer class, really. Theatre as entertainment, as commodity. This print allows people to see behind the scenes of that commodity. What is so compelling is that, via stagecraft and drawing, Schijnvoet visualizes something that would typically remain concealed. It foregrounds labor. Editor: Thinking about the consumption... it is true. It gives a little power back to the viewer. Look! See how easily we can manufacture a dream? I am drawn to the lowest scene; it shows an arcade with figures and drapes—almost more "real," yet constructed. It is where Schijnvoet’s demonstration transcends mere utility, I would say. It's almost painterly. Curator: I agree. The lower scene demonstrates the complete illusion while referencing real architectural elements, making it almost a commentary about the interplay between stagecraft and architectural design, really blurring those lines. Thank you for seeing past the utilitarian nature of it. Editor: So, from artifice to authenticity... a satisfying reveal for all. Curator: Indeed. The layers here remind us that all forms of art and entertainment are constructions, products, the fruits of labor—whether they be staged in a theater or placed within a gallery.