Gezicht op de Sint-Walburgakerk in Oudenaarde 1876 - 1913

Curator: Albert Baertsoen created this etching, "Gezicht op de Sint-Walburgakerk in Oudenaarde," sometime between 1876 and 1913. The Rijksmuseum now holds it. Editor: The mood it sets is somber; almost a weight hangs over the entire scene. The dark etching ink emphasizes this. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the Walburga Church; the imposing facade isn't just architectural. Its dominant scale dwarfs the surrounding buildings, conveying a sense of the church's overwhelming power, both literally and symbolically, in civic life. Editor: I’m drawn to the light – the delicate lines Baertsoen uses to describe the sky and the facades create contrast. It's a study in opposing forces, this dark monument and tentative glimmer around it. You can see it in his other works too. Curator: The urban landscape as a motif carries an immense history. In works such as these, you feel both a record of modernity's advancement alongside enduring traditional structures. You also detect that the tower evokes pride while it inspires introspection as well. Editor: Etching lends itself to this kind of nuanced expression perfectly. Look at the hatching and cross-hatching – see the building depth made possible? Curator: The etching almost obscures some structures. This visual obscuring mirrors the symbolic obscuring, almost questioning societal ideals or changes during the time of the city's construction. Editor: I appreciate how we began with a straightforward visual read and then expanded into history, belief, and human development, through a few shades of etching ink! Curator: Yes, viewing artwork, we touch the heart of shared humanity, finding bits of us in etchings made generations past.