Schenkkan naar links gekeerd c. 1696 - 1717

Editor: This is Cornelis Danckerts' engraving, "Schenkkan naar links gekeerd," created somewhere between 1696 and 1717. It's ornate, almost overwhelmingly so. The balance between positive and negative space is interesting given the complexity of the form depicted. What formal elements stand out to you in this print? Curator: The engraving’s success rests on its virtuoso display of line. Observe how Danckerts uses varied line weights and densities to describe the voluptuous form of the ewer and its constituent decorative elements. Note, for example, how the hatching defines not only the form, but also the texture. Do you perceive how the directionality of the hatching impacts the visual rhythm? Editor: I see what you mean. The hatching seems to build a sense of volume and then that directs my eye upwards through the complex design of the pitcher. It’s clever, how the direction subtly guides your viewing. Curator: Precisely. Further, contemplate how the relatively sparse background serves as a foil, directing focus to the highly articulated ewer. Also consider the way the secondary figures are placed strategically to frame and enhance the overall composition, inviting a reading from multiple perspectival positions. Do you notice that at all? Editor: Yes, I see the figures kind of acting as brackets, containing the composition. The more I look, the more I'm appreciating the detail, especially the use of shadow created solely through these tiny engraved lines. Curator: Indeed. Danckerts exploits the inherent qualities of the engraving medium to achieve a striking visual presence, and, if you consider closely the repetition of shapes and structures throughout, this seemingly chaotic work reveals its inherent structural organization. A demonstration, you might say, of the potent visual language available through line and form. Editor: I didn’t consider the visual language of lines and how all this combines together and impacts the piece overall. It's been interesting to examine it with this in mind. Curator: It’s rewarding when an object begins to communicate in its own language, wouldn’t you agree?