Two Rusticated Portals, Left with a Side View 1578

Curator: This is "Two Rusticated Portals, Left with a Side View," an engraving by Joannes van Doetecum, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. It shows, as the title suggests, two imposing architectural portals. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by how solid everything feels, like I could touch the rough stone. There's a real sense of weight. Curator: Rustication, the technique of using deliberately rough-hewn stone, was popular in Renaissance architecture to convey strength and a sense of unyielding power. Editor: It definitely works! But, I also feel a bit closed off, as if these portals lead nowhere or to something… forbidden. Is it just me? Curator: Perhaps it speaks to the restrictions of the time. Architecture serving as both a symbol of authority and a physical barrier. Editor: Yes, a monument that's strangely oppressive! Still, I appreciate the craft. I wonder what it would feel like to walk up to them. Curator: It’s a reminder that art exists in a social and historical context; that art serves a function. Editor: It's funny; a technical drawing can ignite such unexpected thoughts and feelings. I love it.