Schelde bij schemering 1893

Editor: This is "Schelde bij schemering," or "Scheldt at Twilight," a drawing or print by Frans Proost from 1893. I’m immediately struck by how quiet and still it feels, even with the boats present. What captures your attention in this work? Curator: You're right; that stillness is palpable. I find myself drawn into the hazy atmosphere. It's like stepping into a memory, or perhaps a dream. The soft pencil work, almost dissolving the ships into the mist, creates that effect, don’t you think? It's as though Proost isn’t just showing us the river, but also hinting at the feeling of dusk itself, that liminal space. I almost wonder if he spent countless twilights by the water, trying to distill that feeling. Editor: Yes, exactly! It feels like more than just observation. It's the experience of being there, watching the day fade. Curator: Precisely! Now, consider those two boats – very different in form, yes? What do you make of their co-existence in this quiet moment? Editor: The contrast makes them more interesting, doesn't it? One old, one possibly newer, different types of work… Perhaps Proost is hinting at time's passage, or maybe at the changes in the city’s economy and river trade? Curator: A lovely insight. It could be that tension, that slight sense of melancholy, elevates it beyond a simple landscape to something quite profound. It also invites reflection, I find myself questioning how the scene changes day to day. The scene probably always held beauty, as is, even with change in ships and skyline. Editor: That's a really interesting take, and it also applies to how my reading of it might change over time, too. Thanks!