Daar is de herfst! 1892 - 1905

Curator: Right, let's spend a few moments with "Daar is de herfst!"—or "There is Autumn!"— a fascinating composite print made sometime between 1892 and 1905. What do you make of its overall feeling? Editor: I find this melancholic and charming; the monochromatic rendering seems fitting for a meditation on autumn’s poignancy. There is an element of old folklore as well, given its narrative form. Curator: Timothy Cole was responsible for the engraving and woodcut aspects, giving it this distinct feel, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely. It shows that making isn't really about making, but also about dissemination. These would be found in literary journals with poems pasted underneath the individual pictures. The images gain their richness precisely from that dialogue, with each individual engraving placed within the broader tapestry of culture and accessible production, and, of course, social life! It seems fitting that he named his son Alphaeus Philemon Cole. To name a kid with the first alphabet and one who kisses. Very beautiful. Curator: Beautiful! The scenes vary widely: rabbits scurrying amidst fallen leaves, gnarled trees, solitary figures, the changing landscape... Almost like a seasonal poem unfolding visually. But the somberness—almost elegiac—is quite strong for something made with inexpensive materials. Editor: Precisely. And consider the context—mass-produced imagery readily available yet retaining such artistic intent and vision—an intersection of utility, industry, and melancholy that is truly poignant. The lines, both visual and textual, would've had much more interplay then we give them credit for! Curator: Looking at these images again, one can definitely sense the hand of the engraver, transforming the natural world into these tiny yet evocative spaces that capture the changing seasons and even capture these moments of being for figures lost in landscape. A strange feeling overcomes me; nostalgia and respect. Editor: Yes, for all it has given us—but maybe more so, for all it's taken away. A good sentiment. Thank you.