Zonsondergang 1915 - 1919

Curator: Lodewijk Schelfhout's "Zonsondergang," or "Sunset," created between 1915 and 1919, offers a strikingly geometric interpretation of a landscape scene. It’s an etching, printed in monochrome. Editor: There’s a palpable sense of melancholy here. The stark black and white, combined with that almost skeletal tree, gives it a somber, post-war feel. Curator: Absolutely. Etchings lend themselves to strong contrasts, enhancing the drama. The stylized sunset, almost halo-like behind the building – a cathedral, perhaps – hints at spiritual transcendence, but also stark judgment. Geometric shapes throughout – the rigid fields, the arched bridges – feel almost like enforced order, resisting natural fluidity. Editor: The presence of that looming structure in the background dominates the print, and one cannot help but see it within the context of its time. World War I cast long shadows. Religious and civic buildings, though seemingly timeless, became deeply vulnerable, symbolizing fragility. Is the sunset here the promise of hope, or impending darkness? Curator: That duality resonates. Sunsets traditionally represent endings, closure, but also beauty and the promise of a new dawn. Schelfhout employs simplified forms and structured lines to create what almost feels like a graphic representation of hope amidst desolation, a yearning for order during unprecedented chaos. It's very Modernist in its reduction, yet very evocative in its suggestion of cycles, and eternal structures. Editor: What I appreciate most is its refusal to provide easy answers. The stark simplicity allows for a deeply personal encounter with themes of loss, hope, and the enduring power of both landscape and symbolic architecture, regardless of our individual creeds or nations. Curator: A very astute assessment, its stark composition almost serving as a vessel of cultural memory. A striking testament to the power of imagery, speaking to us across generations.