Overblijfselen van het koor van de Sint-Walburgiskerk in Antwerpen 1868

Editor: This print by Jean Théodore Joseph Linnig, titled "Overblijfselen van het koor van de Sint-Walburgiskerk in Antwerpen," made with etching, drawing, and ink on paper in 1868, has this captivating sense of faded grandeur. It makes me wonder, what do you see when you look at it? Curator: I'm struck by the deliberate recording of urban decay using such meticulous processes. Linnig is using the etching technique—a labor-intensive means of mass production—to document what is, in essence, the deterioration of a specific place. The consumption of this image, then, becomes tied to the changing landscape and perhaps a commentary on societal shifts. Editor: So the medium itself, the etching, speaks to the societal conditions of production and consumption in 1868? Curator: Precisely! The etching process allows for the creation of multiple copies, democratizing access to the image. Consider also the "waste" material—the discarded church ruins. Linnig has chosen not to depict glorious cathedrals or bustling marketplaces, but a site of material decline. This creates an interesting interplay between what society deems valuable and worthy of representation and the discarded matter of everyday existence. How does the scale influence your impression? Editor: It seems relatively small, lending an intimacy to something typically grandiose like church ruins. The accessibility of the print combined with the subject matter, something seemingly valueless, offers a very compelling, critical message. I've learned so much about how the medium itself informs the content! Curator: Exactly. Reflecting on art through the lens of materials and production exposes the social underpinnings inherent in every work. Thanks for walking through this with me.