Vierde dag van schepping: God schept de zon, maan en sterren 1581 - 1656

Editor: This is "Fourth Day of Creation: God Creates the Sun, Moon and Stars," an engraving by Nicolaes de Bruyn dating between 1581 and 1656. The detail is astonishing. It's a depiction of a Biblical scene inside of a circle. It almost feels like looking through a portal into another world, a world just being formed. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It feels like a dream, doesn't it? A beautiful and complex vision emerging from the unknown. De Bruyn’s interpretation reflects the Baroque era’s love for dramatic landscapes and divine interventions. Notice the symbolic symmetry: Sun on one side, moon and stars on the other, balancing the divine narrative within that perfectly round frame. The meticulous engraving gives everything, even God, a very tangible presence. It's history-painting rendered on the head of a pin! Do you get the sense of grand theatre, even in this diminutive format? Editor: Absolutely! It's fascinating how the scale doesn’t diminish the drama. The circular composition almost makes it feel like a cosmic clock, each element perfectly placed. I am curious about why the choice was made to portray a biblical scene as landscape artwork? Curator: Well, landscapes were becoming increasingly popular. The divine wasn't just in cathedrals, you see? People were finding it in the unfolding majesty of the natural world. The artist seems to say: Look! Divinity isn't just something to read about – it's all around, it’s visceral. Perhaps you're looking at a scientist as much as an artist here. Or maybe, the artist simply found landscape the perfect way to hint at both order and boundlessness. The frame can hardly contain this kind of vision. Editor: That’s a really insightful point. Seeing it as a blend of science and faith opens up a whole new perspective for me. Thanks! Curator: And thank you, too! Your observation makes me consider how truly modern De Bruyn’s view really was: A world constantly being created and recreated within and beyond ourselves.