Gezicht op het Valkhof te Nijmegen 1619 - 1690

Editor: So, this drawing is entitled "Gezicht op het Valkhof te Nijmegen," by Anthonie Waterloo, and it seems to have been created sometime between 1619 and 1690. The materials are graphite on paper, which I think contributes to its ethereal, almost dreamlike quality. What strikes you most about this landscape? Curator: Well, it's tempting to see it simply as a romanticized vision, but let's think about the material conditions of its creation. Graphite, relatively accessible, allowed Waterloo to mass produce such images for the burgeoning Dutch merchant class. This created a new market for landscape imagery. Do you see how the very process changes the artwork’s function? Editor: I never thought of it that way, I was more focused on the scenery! The almost sketch-like quality made me think about capturing a fleeting moment. Curator: Indeed, but consider what that fleeting moment represents in its era: a growing interest in possessing images of place and property made affordable by emerging artistic techniques. How does the shift from, say, commissioned oil paintings to a readily available graphite drawing, impact the viewer's experience and sense of ownership of such scenes? Editor: That's a great point! The ability to produce these drawings more quickly and cheaply must have democratized art appreciation quite a bit. Were there many other artists who did similar work during this time? Curator: Absolutely. There was an explosion of artists meeting the demand for this kind of artwork. By understanding the processes, the labour involved and who got to access these images, we move past the idealised view to grapple with the real societal impact. Editor: I’m now really considering the process, not just the finished piece, which gives a deeper understanding. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! It's a process of continuous re-evaluation.