Markt 1735 - 1787

Editor: So, this is Willem van Wessem's "Markt," likely created sometime between 1735 and 1787. It’s a very loose, flowing pen and ink sketch. There’s something almost dreamlike about it, with the blurred figures and horses. What's your take on this piece? Curator: It's a compelling piece, particularly when viewed through a socio-historical lens. Van Wessem presents us with a marketplace, but not just as a scene of commerce. Consider who has access to this space. Who is profiting? Who is merely surviving? What do you notice about the body language of the figures depicted? Are they engaged, relaxed, burdened? Editor: I see a lot of figures crammed into a small space. Some look like they’re haggling, but others just seem to be…there. And, now that you mention it, their postures are quite telling. Some seem stooped, while others are standing tall. Curator: Precisely. And think about the power dynamics at play. Who controls the narrative of the marketplace? Who is allowed to take up space, and who is forced to occupy the margins? Even the horses are suggestive, as beasts of burden under human control. What assumptions about social order is the artist reflecting, or perhaps even challenging? Editor: I never thought about a sketch holding so much commentary. I focused solely on its visual appeal, now I wonder if his choices reflected any kind of social or political statement? Curator: The sketch can be viewed as a social tableau, speaking to the intricate relationships, inequalities, and everyday struggles that comprised 18th-century society. Don’t you agree this marketplace scene also prompts consideration of those questions of equity and access still at play today? Editor: Absolutely. Thinking about it through that lens opens up a whole new conversation. I'll never see a simple sketch the same way again.