Anatomische afbeelding 1785

Editor: This is Anatomische afbeelding, made around 1785. It’s a drawing or print, an etching to be exact, on paper, and it's held at the Rijksmuseum. It's incredibly minimalist. There’s this one small anatomical detail, rendered very realistically, but surrounded by so much empty space. It almost feels… isolated. How do you interpret this piece focusing on the form? Curator: What strikes me first is the contrast. The image, so meticulously rendered with lines suggesting texture and form, is positioned almost surgically on the plane of the paper. The orientation allows our eyes to move around this singular form, while also focusing in on its details. Consider the relationship between the positive and negative spaces: the concentration of detail in the small depicted fragment versus the implied boundlessness of the surrounding field. What is this relationship suggesting? Editor: I suppose that it accentuates its form – like the piece has been extracted, and now we're looking closely to analyse the individual structure. What do you make of the pencil marks around the object? Is the frame made with them too? Curator: Indeed, the lines you mentioned have a pivotal presence. The precision of the lines delineates form and also suggests a study. This image appears intended as a scientific record, using art as an illustrative medium. I find myself pondering about the implied, rational observer and the level of detachment or curiosity present when considering the medium and marks chosen. Editor: So it is this close attention and use of form rather than any symbolism, that tells the viewer how to engage with it. I appreciate that – form dictating function. Curator: Precisely. Focusing on the purely visual is very fruitful in instances where contextual data is unavailable. Through pure semiotics, we decipher the piece’s intent and, therefore, its meaning.