Musicerend gezelschap 1670 - 1724

Editor: This is "Musicerend Gezelschap" from sometime between 1670 and 1724, housed at the Rijksmuseum, and created by Jacob Gole. It is an engraving and depicts a group of musicians playing their instruments. The details achieved by the printmaking method give the image a lot of contrast. What is your interpretation of it? Curator: From a formalist perspective, let us consider the composition: notice the use of a receding diagonal, beginning from the high bass viol at the left, descending towards the smiling youth. This creates visual movement and directs the eye through the ensemble. Furthermore, consider the relationship between light and dark – the chiaroscuro – to articulate forms and establish a distinct mood. Note how the drapery functions to enclose the group. How would you characterize the relationship between the musicians in this confined area? Editor: They look very close together, almost squished. There doesn't seem to be any real communication or eye contact. Curator: Precisely. Does this apparent lack of engagement contribute to or detract from the harmony one might expect of a musical ensemble? Editor: I guess it makes the piece less harmonious and more...awkward. I suppose it disrupts our expectations of musical performance. Curator: It is through these deliberate formal choices—the spatial arrangement, the tonal variations, the expressions and interactions of the players, and their combined effect, which together build and reveal an artistic statement on performance. Do you agree? Editor: Yes, by concentrating on the composition and structure we are invited to really look beyond the surface. Thanks for helping me unpack it. Curator: My pleasure, viewing the formal dynamics is paramount to grasping the whole, is it not?