Saint Paul's, South side (Ecclesiae Cathedralis St. Pauli, A Meridi Prospectus) (from William Dugdale, "The History of St. Paul's Catherdral in London," 1658) 1658

Editor: This print, "Saint Paul's, South side," made in 1658 by Wenceslaus Hollar, presents an incredibly detailed view of the cathedral. It strikes me as quite stoic, almost melancholic, with that meticulous line work capturing every architectural detail. What stories do you think it whispers? Curator: Ah, a melancholic whisper, you say? Indeed! I find it a fascinating snapshot frozen in time. What’s really whispering to me is not just the grandeur of the cathedral itself – rendered with such obsessive detail by Hollar – but the ghostly presence of history layered within. Do you see those inscriptions surrounding the image? They are like voices trying to tell a story. Editor: Now that you mention the inscriptions, how does this print serve as a historical record of St. Paul’s? Curator: Hollar wasn't simply creating a pretty picture. This image comes from a book documenting the history of St. Paul’s before the Great Fire of London ravaged it a few years later. He documented its state right before its destruction. A melancholic whisper takes on a whole new meaning now, doesn’t it? It’s a monument to something lost, meticulously recorded before it vanished. I imagine Hollar bent over his etching plate, driven by a poignant premonition. Do you sense that too? Editor: I do! The meticulous detail suddenly feels more like an elegy. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. The print, it seems, carries multiple stories, inviting us into the past, allowing our imagination to create a narrative of a lost history.