Fotoreproductie van Les tronçons door Edmond Fierlants before 1860

Curator: Here we have a photographic reproduction of Edmond Fierlants's work, "Les Tronçons," created before 1860. The piece combines drawing and printmaking on paper, showcasing an image on the left page accompanied by text on the facing right page, from what looks like a personal journal. What strikes you initially about this work? Editor: Well, the aged paper immediately conveys a sense of historical depth. You can almost feel the texture, the graininess of the paper beneath your fingertips. The whole thing feels very handmade and raw. Curator: Indeed. The composition itself relies on fairly simple arrangements. Note how the forms within the drawing on the left are carefully situated, creating balance despite the rustic scene of the men, their tools and the logs. There's a clear structure underpinning it. Editor: I am thinking of what the material indicates. These journals must have been relatively accessible to people of that era, allowing for a certain degree of artistic expression across different societal strata. Curator: Absolutely. And consider the interplay between the print and the text. The text provides a narrative counterpoint. The whole sketchbook becomes almost a dialogue between image and word. How do you feel that affects the overall impact? Editor: It grounds the image, connects it to a story or idea. Think about the process too. The artist’s labor, selecting the paper, making the drawing and then printing it. This is more than art. Curator: That’s a valuable perspective. Editor: So, seeing “Les Tronçons”, I appreciate the labor embedded in it, as much as I respect its aesthetic and formal qualities. Curator: The material clearly has agency here, and shapes meaning. And for me, this has affirmed how valuable understanding formal choices can be when perceiving content or the maker's intention.