Zijaltaren, Schijndel 1857 - 1859

Editor: Here we have Pierre Cuypers' "Zijaltaren, Schijndel" from 1857-1859, a pencil and etching drawing from the Rijksmuseum's collection. It's interesting how fragile and preliminary the drawing looks despite its architectural subject; it’s a sketch, after all! What leaps out at you when you see this work? Curator: Well, isn't it delightful how Cuypers, even in these initial sketches, infuses a sort of airy grandeur? It reminds me of paging through a brilliant architect’s daydream journal. Can’t you almost hear the hammers and chisels in your mind as the altars take shape? He is letting us into his vision, isn't he? I'm especially drawn to the arches hovering over each design... what are they doing? Are they boundaries? A promise? Hmmm. Editor: That’s an interesting point. The arches seem more like guidelines for what could be. Curator: Precisely! He’s not just presenting a design; he's offering possibilities. This reminds me, did you know Cuypers was instrumental in reviving Gothic architecture in the Netherlands? This sketch really breathes that devotion. Tell me, do you get that feeling too, or am I simply seeing what I *want* to see? Editor: I do see that connection now that you mention it. Before, I saw more of a study, but now the arches make me feel that there are some stories that the altars must convey. Curator: Ah, see? We're both interpreting, co-creating its story now, aren't we? Maybe art isn't about concrete answers at all but, rather, asking better questions of what we're viewing. I appreciate Cuypers leaving breadcrumbs for us, generations later, to find our way to the core, or maybe even create something entirely new with his initial offering. What a delicious idea!