Dorpsgezicht met poort te Hattem 1786 - 1792

Editor: Here we have Carel Frederik Bendorp's "Dorpsgezicht met poort te Hattem," an etching and engraving from around 1790, depicting a townscape. I am intrigued by the daily life captured and how the print medium made these scenes accessible. What draws your attention in this work? Curator: The interplay between architecture and labor is particularly compelling. Consider the conditions required to produce the physical buildings of the town, and the contrast of the more precise labor required of the engraver to create the print. Do you think Bendorp elevates these labor activities? Editor: Perhaps, yes. Showing ordinary people suggests they’re worthy subjects. Was printmaking seen as a craft, distinct from painting perhaps? Curator: Exactly. The proliferation of prints speaks to a shift in art consumption and accessibility. Etching and engraving democratized image-making, reducing reliance on wealthy patronage for viewership. Note how Bendorp utilizes line to depict both the grand architecture and the workers, thereby equalizing their importance in the scene. It almost proposes a commentary on a broader social fabric and it's hierarchies, or lack thereof, doesn’t it? Editor: That's fascinating, it's less about idealised landscapes, and more about the means of portraying these working towns. Does this impact how we view other Neoclassical works? Curator: Absolutely. Analyzing its material production and consumption, reframes our understanding of its role in the wider society. It highlights a move away from the purely aesthetic towards understanding art’s socio-economic role, inviting critical exploration into its broader implications and production methods. Editor: I've never considered the economics behind the image before, focusing more on composition. Curator: Understanding the materials, the means of production, it fundamentally alters how one appreciates any artwork.