Legendablad bij een gezicht in vogelvlucht op het Binnenhof 1879

Editor: We’re looking at "Legendablad bij een gezicht in vogelvlucht op het Binnenhof," an engraving from 1879. It gives an overhead view of a cityscape. It's quite detailed. At first glance, it reminds me of an architectural plan, almost like a blueprint, but much more artistic. What do you see in it? Curator: What I see…is a memory, almost. You know, old maps are more than just directions, aren't they? This feels like a whispered story of a place. Imagine people using this to navigate, to plan their day, each mark representing not just a building, but a life lived. Does that make sense? Like finding a hidden world within the familiar? Editor: Definitely! The way it's labeled adds to that feeling, like a treasure map with secrets waiting to be uncovered. What is your favorite part of the landscape depicted here? Curator: Ooh, a great question! It would be the tiny details... all those almost lost textures. Each one whispers to a history we will never completely grasp.. it really does feel special. This isn’t about the grand avenues. Editor: So, what can we learn from this piece? Curator: We learn, perhaps, the poetry of precision, how something seemingly functional can evoke such… longing for another time. Like holding a forgotten city in your hands. Or maybe a little of how things remain in essence as things change in their materiality... Editor: It's definitely made me think about how we map our own lives. Thanks for sharing that perspective! Curator: My pleasure! Art should do that, right? Stir the imagination, the memory… It was a pleasure, always!