The House with the Stepped Gable, from Verscheyden Landtschapjes (Various Little Landscapes), Plate 7 1611 - 1621

Editor: So, this is "The House with the Stepped Gable" by Willem Pietersz. Buytewech, a print from sometime between 1611 and 1621. It's currently residing at the Met. I'm really drawn to the texture of the whole thing; it feels almost like a dream. What strikes you about it? Curator: Oh, it's positively brimming with untold stories, isn’t it? I imagine this house as a character in a fairy tale, perhaps the dwelling of a wise old woman or a mischievous sprite. See how Buytewech uses those delicate lines to suggest not just form, but also the passage of time, the gentle caress of sunlight on the stone? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but I can see that. The lighting does give it a sense of timelessness. Is that why the background is faded, in contrast to the dense foreground? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe it's Buytewech inviting us to complete the picture with our own memories, our own imagined narratives. What do you think the people who lived here were like? Were they happy, sad, ordinary, extraordinary? Editor: That's fascinating! It's easy to get caught up in the technical details, but framing it like that makes it so much more personal. Curator: Art should always be a conversation, wouldn't you agree? A whispered secret between the artist, the subject, and ourselves. It is a little like sharing a good joke or swapping spooky stories late at night! Editor: Definitely! I will carry a copy of the engraving for myself, that is how much I like this sketch. Curator: Good idea! Next time you walk past an interesting building or landscape, capture the energy the same way the artist does in the present drawing, through light pencil work, but add your own touch. I assure you, art will present itself!