Tekstblad met verklaring van de prenten, p. 4 1695

Curator: Let’s discuss this text page from Charles Perrault's "Tekstblad met verklaring van de prenten, p. 4," dating back to 1695. Editor: It's strikingly…crisp. The composition is clean, and the typeface, though of its time, displays a surprising modernity in its starkness. Curator: Absolutely. This page serves as a commentary, elucidating the engravings accompanying Perrault's work. Consider it an early form of critical analysis. What do you make of the writing's focus? Editor: It seems fixated on contrasting painting and printmaking. Note the declaration that even the finest paintings lack something found in prints; I find it rather bold for its time. He emphasizes how engraving can capture subtleties of texture—softness, hardness, fluidity—even without color. Curator: That contrast is deliberate. Perrault was wading into the "Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes," a heated debate about the relative merits of classical art versus contemporary artistic expression. The text here, then, functions as a defense of modernity. By elevating engraving, a relatively new art form, he's subtly challenging established hierarchies within the art world. Editor: You're directing our attention to the materials themselves—the paper, the typography, the printed ink. Do you see an appeal to the senses? The texture of the paper and how the ink sits atop of it? Curator: Indeed! We must also see how Perrault draws attention to craftsmanship, explicitly praising collaboration among artists; the text claims eleven painters created paintings then eleven engravers interpreted them, the names of the artisans "written on the planks." Perrault foregrounds the artistic communities driving innovation, and demands we value both manual and intellectual labor. Editor: This Baroque page reveals so much upon closer inspection. Thank you for making clear some of the complexities and connections surrounding artistic rivalry. Curator: The piece showcases that while on the surface level is simply descriptive, the text holds subtle claims that are anything but simple, which reflects its broader sociohistorical environment. Thank you.