Het beleg van Santeremo op Malta 1665

Editor: Here we have Antonio Francesco Lucini's 1665 engraving, "The Siege of Santeremo on Malta." At first glance, the density of the line work really strikes me. It almost creates a sense of overwhelming chaos. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an intricate, self-contained system of visual relationships. Notice the dominance of the linear, how it dictates the form and space. The lines create distinctions— between land and sea, between encampment and the besieged. This rigid structure, where every element is delineated so meticulously, reinforces a sense of imposed order onto the chaotic reality of warfare. The shading gives a volume to the form within the constraints of the metal. The medium is the key. Editor: So, you are focusing on how the line work itself creates the feeling of the print? Curator: Precisely. Forget that the work claims to depict war and Malta. Strip away those assumptions, and one finds a detailed system of communication through a visual syntax based on the elements of line, tone, and composition. Ask yourself how that syntax operates, how it signifies. Editor: I see. It is about focusing on what is in front of me. Considering this a formal exercise really changes my view of the piece. Curator: And does that revised view shed any light on Lucini's project in this work? The subject cannot exist without his approach, in this case a regimented formal organization of its components. Editor: I think so. By focusing on Lucini's formal decisions, the work itself appears incredibly controlled and precise. I appreciate your approach to seeing and experiencing this print.