Pignons Quai de la Grue 19th-20th century

Curator: This is Jules de Bruycker's "Pignons Quai de la Grue," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels like a memory, doesn't it? A half-forgotten place, rendered in sepia dreams... Curator: De Bruycker, born in 1870, captured the spirit of his native Ghent. Note how the buildings almost seem to weep into the water. The facade is almost dissolving. Editor: Yes! The reflections are beautifully morbid, echoing the weight of history and the transience of existence. It feels like an old photograph found in the attic. Curator: Indeed. The etching technique, with its fine lines and stark contrasts, amplifies a sense of decay but also a certain timelessness... It's quite haunting. Editor: Absolutely haunting, and yet compelling. I find myself drawn to its melancholic beauty. Curator: Me too. It is a powerful reminder that even in ruin, beauty persists.