Drinklied c. 1658

Editor: This is "Drinklied," created around 1658 by Gesina ter Borch. It's a drawing made with ink on paper. The delicate lines and swirling central form give it a whimsical, almost dreamlike quality. How would you interpret this work, focusing on its formal qualities? Curator: The use of line in "Drinklied" is particularly compelling. Notice the stark contrast between the ordered, almost architectural quality of the handwritten text above, and the almost organic, spiraling form below. Does that spiral possess a symbolic valence? Editor: It reminds me a bit of a vortex, like something is being pulled down or ascending rapidly, what significance does that hold with relation to the text on the upper portion of the paper? Curator: Indeed, its spiral nature creates dynamic tension, yet the limited tonal range-- the almost exclusively monochrome scheme--subdues that drama. We have a clear relationship being portrayed here. One section seems bound and trapped within set perameters whereas another shows itself unencumbered. How can the two be understood through those respective lenses? Editor: I suppose, seeing as it is titled Drinklied which can be seen as drinking song that each aspect can correlate with each other in meaning as one side details the lyrics and the other a free flowing sense of joy and uninhibited movement which comes with drunkenness? Curator: Precisely. The visual rhetoric employed establishes a semiotic relationship with the title itself, doesn’t it? Borch contrasts structure with fluidity. Editor: It's fascinating how the formal elements support the overarching theme! It's made me see the piece in a completely new way. Curator: The essence is appreciating how form informs meaning, revealing depths you hadn't noticed on the first inspection.