Jonge herder 1819

Editor: This is "Jonge Herder," or "Young Shepherd," an engraving from 1819 by Monogrammist DF. There's a quiet, almost stoic quality to this child and his sheep. What strikes you most about the composition? Curator: The engraving commands attention by its use of line, wouldn't you agree? Observe the contrasting density in the hat compared to the sky. What effect does this contrast achieve? Editor: It makes the figure feel grounded, I think. More real than the implied background, almost like he's been cut and pasted in? Curator: Precisely! Also take note of the subtle curvature applied to depict the soft wool of the sheep versus the relative rigid and orthogonal form applied to the Shepherd. Editor: You can really see the time that was put into this by hand. Did prints usually have such intense detail? Curator: Detail depended on the artist's skill, of course, and also on the purpose of the print. Note the contrast between foreground and background. This engraver manipulated tone with cross-hatching to depict both figure and ground, simultaneously emphasizing their independence. Now tell me, what happens if one is to reduce all color or graphical texture in their mind? Editor: If the texture and line go away, the remaining composition shows someone almost stiff. Intentionally unnatural perhaps? Curator: Precisely, its semiotic structure emphasizes artifice! What does this engraving make *you* consider about images generally? Editor: I guess I’m seeing the level of technical skill combined with the choices they’re making on what the choices say, and where the boundary between them might be. Curator: An excellent point; food for thought indeed!