Twee Nehalennia-altaren, pl. XII 1843 - 1845

Editor: So, this print from the 1840s by Tiemen Hooiberg depicts "Twee Nehalennia-altaren, pl. XII" – a drawing, and an engraving – that showcase classical realism, academic art, relief, and themes such as form and history painting.. What strikes me is the level of detail he captured. What aspects stand out to you? Curator: What grabs me are the visible signs of manual reproduction: the hatched lines of the engraving, the careful cross-hatching that mimics the texture of stone. Consider how Hooiberg, a draughtsman and printer, mediated our encounter with these altars through labor-intensive means. It speaks to a mid-19th-century obsession with accurately documenting antiquity, a desire to possess and disseminate knowledge through reproducible images. What do you make of the stark contrast between the detailed altars and the rather plain background? Editor: Well, the emptiness does create a sense of isolation. Almost as if we're meant to focus solely on the artifacts themselves. It does call attention to each individual image and begs me to consider it without any surrounding context.. Curator: Precisely. This lack of context is itself revealing. It presents the altars as detached objects of study, devoid of their original ritualistic or communal significance. This presentation also invites consideration about how images were produced and consumed. Who was this print intended for, and what kind of access did they have to Nehalennia's altars themselves? Was this a primary or secondary source for that era? Editor: So, by understanding the materials and methods, we get a sense of the values and limitations of that specific time. It adds layers to the visual experience! Curator: Precisely! Understanding the image's construction informs our own consumption of it. Considering Hooiberg's print in light of labor, materiality, and social context broadens its cultural significance beyond just a mere visual document. Editor: That makes so much sense! I never would have thought about it that way initially, thank you!