Gezicht op het paleis van de prins–bisschop van Würzburg in de Frankische Kreits 1745 - 1775

Editor: This print, "Gezicht op het paleis van de prins–bisschop van Würzburg in de Frankische Kreits," from somewhere between 1745 and 1775 by Jean-François Daumont, offers such a perfectly rigid view. The buildings are so symmetrical, and even the tiny figures milling about seem placed just so. How should we interpret all this hyper-control, visually? Curator: You know, when I look at it, I think of theatre. Think of the stage set; all of those baroque cityscapes were trying to suggest power, order. I feel like I can hear the trumpets heralding some royal's arrival, see them processing right across that plaza. Don't you think it’s all a bit…staged? It almost doesn't feel real, even though it depicts a very real place. Daumont’s not just showing us a building, is he? He’s telling us a story. Editor: A story about power? That makes a lot of sense. The angle feels important, almost god-like. What's the significance of capturing this place from such a high perspective? Curator: It's interesting you picked up on that! It’s not just showing it to us, is it? We’re being given ownership, or perhaps it's aspiration? As though we too could occupy that elevated position, oversee all of this. Think about it, in that era, perspective wasn't just a visual trick, it was a way of saying, "I control what you see." Daumont uses it to almost force us into that mindset. Did it work? Editor: It’s interesting. I hadn’t considered the audience's intended point of view. Now, the print feels even more…imperial. Like a display of wealth and planning. I now appreciate the symbolism woven into what I initially took as just an accurate rendering of architecture. Curator: And there it is; Daumont has had us all on stage! We leave transformed.