Gezicht op Uppsala 1690

Editor: This is "Gezicht op Uppsala," a cityscape made around 1690 by Willem Swidde. It's an engraving, so quite delicate and detailed. The mood seems formal, almost propagandistic – what strikes you about this piece? Curator: What grabs my attention is the very deliberate staging of power. The castle, dominating the landscape, isn't merely a building; it's a visual assertion of authority in 17th-century Sweden. Consider the Baroque style, designed to impress. But for whom? Who is this image meant to serve? Editor: Possibly those in power? A way to map and control their territory? Curator: Exactly! Think about cartography at the time. Maps weren't just about geographic accuracy; they were tools of colonial power, defining borders, resources, and populations. How does this image do something similar, perhaps in a subtler way? Who is absent from this image, or perhaps relegated to the background? Editor: The common people, I suppose. They’re just tiny figures down below, easily overlooked compared to the castle and the people traveling toward it. Curator: Precisely. It is about controlling the narrative and the gaze of the viewer. Consider too, what isn’t represented, who is actively missing? What populations would feel unrepresented in this scene? It offers a critical insight into the socio-political landscape of the era. Editor: It's like the drawing uses perspective not just to show space, but also to show who matters in that space. Curator: Yes, the image doesn't just depict a city, it tells a story about social hierarchies. Power is embedded in every line and shadow. Hopefully, that gives you a deeper insight into what's happening here. Editor: Definitely. It’s not just a pretty picture; it's a carefully constructed argument about who holds power. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about!