Gezicht op het stadsdeel Wyck te Maastricht c. 1840

Alexander Schaepkens created this print of the Wyck district in Maastricht using etching. Notice the fine lines, creating a surface alive with subtle gradations of light and shadow. The artist’s choice of etching lends a unique texture, as if capturing a fleeting moment in time. The composition is structured around the contrast between the solid architectural forms of the city and the fluid expanse of water. The verticality of the church spire is balanced by the horizontal stretch of the shoreline, creating a visual harmony that is both stable and dynamic. Schaepkens plays with perspective, drawing the eye from the foreground boat towards the background. The entire scene is rendered with a consistent level of detail, suggesting a unified field of vision. The print engages with ideas of representation and perception. The artist translates three-dimensional space onto a two-dimensional plane, inviting us to consider the act of seeing itself. Schaepkens highlights the interplay between reality and its artistic representation. Through formal means, it prompts us to reflect on how we perceive and interpret the world around us.