Gezicht op de Varna tussen het ijs in de Karazee before 1886

Editor: We're looking at "Gezicht op de Varna tussen het ijs in de Karazee," dating from before 1886, by H. Ekama. It appears to be an image in a book, perhaps a journal or expedition log of some kind. I am struck by the aged, sepia-toned appearance of the paper. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: It feels like gazing into a ghost ship frozen in time. I’m drawn to the contrast between the imposing ship, bravely battling the elements, and the delicate paper it’s printed on. It's as if the paper itself carries the weight of the Arctic journey, brittle yet enduring. One could almost imagine the book having been warmed next to a crackling fire, embers leaving burn marks as faint memories upon its borders. Do you get a sense of the unknown, perhaps the perils of such an expedition, peering into the work? Editor: Definitely! The stillness is palpable. Is it photography? Or some other type of printmaking? It’s interesting to me the ways that several pages in a book are presented side-by-side. Curator: Given the period, photography would be my hunch, but it could also be a photogravure – a process that blends photography and etching. Think about the ambition of the polar expeditions themselves - scientists as artists, creating this meticulous record in a time before… well, before Instagram! This open book almost invites us to join Ekama on their icy voyage, no? Perhaps they sat precisely there to write those exact words that appear alongside the depiction! Editor: It really does. It's made me think about exploration and documentation. Thanks for sharing your perspective! Curator: My pleasure! It is the unexpected pairings of old things, whether a painting of a long ago scene alongside my worn eyeglasses, that breathes magic into the moment.