Augustus 1545 - 1608

Editor: Pieter van der Borcht’s “Augustus,” dating somewhere between 1545 and 1608, captures a landscape scene in etching, reminiscent of a pen sketch. There’s a real energy to it, a bustling feeling from all the figures hard at work. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: You know, it feels a little like stepping into a dream, doesn't it? All these tiny people toiling away beneath this storybook castle with a sun that seems to smile down at them. For me, the genius here is how van der Borcht crams so much detail into a small space, doesn’t he? The endless horizon meets intimate moments of labor – lovers arguing in a wheat field, while, just beyond, tiny figures pull boats up the water like ants. It’s a playful commentary on scale and perspective, a hint perhaps at the smallness of our big human dramas. Does it strike you as ordered or chaotic? Editor: That's a great question. It definitely feels both ordered *and* chaotic. There’s this strong diagonal leading your eye into the distance, but then you get lost in all those little narrative pockets. I almost missed those people arguing! What do you think van der Borcht was trying to say about the month of August through this scene? Curator: Oh, it's fertile, isn't it? Not just the land bursting forth, but the imagination too! August, the height of summer, and everyone working in a perfect pre-industrial, earthly paradise... but look closer at these tiny humans: there is something of a sardonic wink here, as the land dominates the people - what is supposed to be their plenty, their control, actually shows them working incredibly hard. Are *they* controlling the landscape, or is it the other way around? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about! Seeing the tension makes the piece even more alive, paradoxically! Thanks for your thoughts! Curator: My pleasure! Remember, art speaks when you listen, and even more when you look closely at it with an open mind.