Gezicht op het kasteel van Montfoort 1725

Curator: Ah, this lovely, almost sepia-toned scene by Abraham Rademaker, made in 1725. It’s called “View of the Castle of Montfoort,” rendered with watercolor on paper. What strikes you about it? Editor: The stillness. It’s remarkably serene. It's a little world framed in sepia, like a faded memory. A grand, quiet moment captured in time. What I'd really like to know is what was this space really like at the time, and who really benefited from its perceived serenity? Curator: Rademaker was quite interested in topographical depictions. His landscapes feel meticulously observed but imbued with a certain... ideal. Perhaps he heightened certain details and softened others to enhance the picturesque qualities of the landscape. Think of the two figures to the side -- do they feel genuinely a part of that space or are they convenient additions? Editor: I'd wager that, despite the detailed rendering, what's shown is most certainly an idealized version of a world meant for the consumption of a select group, erasing all elements of potential dissonance in the construction of an aesthetic experience, like so many depictions of rural spaces. A powerful family residing in their castle while the realities of the working population remained out of frame. What do you make of this pervasive aestheticization? Curator: You’re right, there’s an intentional smoothing-over, and maybe I’m a bit too smitten with the scene. I suppose my eye is always drawn to how artists bend reality. I wonder about what details are omitted and what the process of creation actually consisted of: how long was it, and what would one be really paying attention to while painting? It becomes a meditation. A study, not just of place, but also of feeling. Editor: Absolutely. It’s not just about documenting what’s there but choosing what’s *worth* documenting. Which raises fascinating questions, of course. If Rademaker were around today, what would *he* be omitting from view? I mean, whose stories remain invisible in these picturesque scenes? Curator: That's a question worth holding onto as we walk through the exhibition. So often, these views seem straightforward, but when we scratch the surface— Editor: We reveal the power structures implicit in every depiction. Even a tranquil castle holds a complex history within its walls, both beautiful and… something else. Thank you for letting me think aloud.