Bank 1753 - 1775

Editor: Here we have "Bank," an engraving from between 1753 and 1775, by an anonymous artist, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. There's something stark about the presentation; the geometric tile throws the ornateness of the sofa into sharp relief. What draws your eye in this work? Curator: That tension you observe – the ornate against the geometric – really sings to me. It’s like a whispered conversation between decadence and reason, wouldn't you agree? Look at the lines – that incredible precision married to the fluid curves of the rococo style. Almost like capturing a fleeting dream in ironclad logic! Do you feel that tension too, or something else entirely? Editor: Definitely the tension. It feels like a stage set, almost too perfect. It's interesting that the piece is simply named 'Bank,' like a blueprint rather than a portrait. Curator: "Bank," yes. I wonder, could it be a commentary, too, on the 'bank' of fashion, the storing and trading of stylistic currency? The line between art and design was so wonderfully blurred then, don't you think? Perhaps our anonymous artist is inviting us to sit not just on the sofa, but on the very edge of that era's aesthetic understanding. A pretty cheeky proposition, if you ask me! Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. So much for just being a nice drawing of a fancy sofa! I guess I see more intention and artistry in the geometry and simplicity now. Curator: Indeed! Sometimes the most elaborate illusions hide in the simplest of lines. Now tell me, are you tempted to sketch one of your own? Editor: I might just! Thanks for pointing all that out.