Berlijnse planetenlezer 1788

Curator: Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki’s 1788 engraving, “Berlijnse Planetenlezer,” which translates to “Berliner Planet Reader,” currently resides here at the Rijksmuseum. What's your initial reaction to the piece? Editor: My initial feeling? This space feels dense, almost claustrophobic, despite the relatively straightforward composition. The etching feels almost medieval to my eye, even though it clearly is not. Curator: Indeed, the artist's masterful use of line and the density of the marks lend themselves to that comparison, perhaps. Consider the almost mathematical precision Chodowiecki employs. It's illustrative rather than expressionistic. The domestic genre scene seems contained almost geometrically by its architectural borders. Editor: Mathematically precise and emotionally distant, perhaps. The line work creates a palpable tension, a sort of forced perspective pushing in on the figures, especially the fortune teller. I find that particularly interesting. The way the room seems to hold them all so intently—everyone is locked in some sort of awkward ballet. Curator: Certainly. There is an awkward tension in their encounter that cannot be overlooked. As a prime example of narrative art, the scene’s components are all purposefully placed. Note the light source and how the shadows play, both practically and symbolically. Chodowiecki guides us through a concise yet ambiguous historical observation, as the lines carefully denote varying depths and planes. Editor: It’s so detailed but rendered without obvious affectation; even the expressions are understated, but I read anxiety, even uncertainty, on each face. Perhaps what intrigues me most is the absence of a clear moral judgment. I can’t discern where the artist’s sympathies might lie; which leaves me—I’ll admit—a bit off-kilter. It is neither didactic nor a condemnation. Instead, just… watching, with us. Curator: Perhaps it simply serves to highlight humanity's inherent and historical search for guidance, truth, or understanding, sought by those who looked to science as much as the occult. We find this work especially engaging due to how closely the sharp linework illustrates human nature within an architectural setting that creates multiple readings. Editor: A compelling, multilayered capture then! Something in me feels comforted knowing our species remains beautifully—even helplessly—inquisitive over centuries and even still here today.