Drie gezichten op huizen en gebouwen in of bij Brussel 1890 - 1930

Curator: Ah, the disorienting beauty of Philip Zilcken’s "Drie gezichten op huizen en gebouwen in of bij Brussel," an etching printed somewhere between 1890 and 1930, now residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It feels almost dreamlike, a bit like Escher playing with cityscapes. The printwork has this ghostly, almost ethereal quality, a stark, contemplative mood hangs over it, wouldn't you say? Curator: I would. Zilcken certainly wasn’t aiming for mere topographical accuracy here. Look how he positions those three separate views—each one revealing the urban landscape from a distinct vantage point. Notice how the street sort of melts and merges different buildings as you scan downward? Editor: The way he utilizes line and shadow is particularly striking. See the density in the foreground fading softly to the open skyline. This emphasizes volume through purely tonal contrasts – clever work with a burin, yes? Curator: Absolutely! The formal aspects highlight the transient nature of urban existence, I feel. What is solid, what is imagined? Those muted shades further deepen the air of melancholic reflection on urban experience of this city long gone by now. Almost makes one wish for a rainy day... Editor: Interesting. For me it is all about depth created using light versus darkness. The textures—achieved solely through carefully orchestrated lines—transform the buildings into abstract masses; not merely facades, but planes and surfaces interacting with pure light. Almost an early essay in architectural deconstruction? Curator: Or perhaps the romantic residue of Impressionism as it fades. Zilcken captured his subjective reaction and impressions from those streets by presenting several views that almost echo different fleeting thoughts one might experience looking at Brussels at the turn of the century. Editor: Indeed! His genius may reside, above all, in showing us the bones of the modern city at once solid, abstract and impermanent. Curator: A thought I may very well adopt when people inquire after seeing this. Thank you. Editor: As am I obliged to you in return, it all culminates towards enriching understanding and interpretation after all.