Stadsgezicht c. 1628 - 1716

Editor: This is "Stadsgezicht," or "Cityscape," an etching and engraving by Jean Lepautre, dating from around 1628 to 1716. It strikes me how geometric the entire composition feels, even with the trees on the side. What symbols or meanings do you find present in a cityscape like this? Curator: Notice the elaborate gate and the grand building receding into the distance. Lepautre has given us a specific perspective; do you sense how this viewpoint directs our eyes? The carriage and the figures suggest a dynamic scene, yet the building projects power and permanence. It speaks of societal order, doesn’t it? There’s an implied contract, where the rulers maintain order, and the ruled… what do they contribute? Editor: They fill the space, perhaps? I'm interested in your comment on permanence. Given the ephemeral nature of printmaking itself, is there perhaps a tension between that medium and the monumental scene being portrayed? Curator: Precisely! Consider what this print might have meant to its contemporary viewers. The print, circulated widely, transforms the unique presence of that cityscape into something reproducible, even portable. And each receiver carries with them this image, to superimpose onto their experience of the world. A potent cultural symbol, don’t you think? It almost makes one consider if our modern digital reproduction has similar psychological implications on the world around us? Editor: I never considered the portability aspect! Thank you, I now see how such an image gains cultural significance through its circulation and use. Curator: And I learned much through your reflection upon its contemporary appeal through a modern lens!