Velperpoort te Arnhem 1619 - 1690

Curator: This architectural sketch presents the Velperpoort in Arnhem, a work attributed to Anthonie Waterloo. It's rendered in pencil and dates back to sometime between 1619 and 1690. Editor: It has such a quiet, almost somber tone, despite the intricate detail. The cool grey washes evoke a certain stillness. Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the use of pencil as the primary medium. It really brings to question the hierarchy that existed within artistic circles. Drawings were often considered studies, preparation for "higher" art forms like painting, and primarily functional. Here, Waterloo seems to celebrate the medium itself, making the "preparatory" sketch a work of art in its own right. The drawing also prompts questions about artistic labor and the artist’s hand; how was this object crafted and circulated, and who consumed these types of images? Editor: Absolutely. Think about the societal role of these city gates, too. They weren’t just pretty structures, but control points, shaping who and what moved in and out of Arnhem. Waterways, walls, and towers alike create a layered system of security but the sketch aesthetic presents something far more placid than a checkpoint. Who did Waterloo make this image for and how did it circulate in Dutch society? Curator: And, of course, we should remember Arnhem’s place in the booming Dutch landscape print market of that time. Did images like this play a part in defining local or national identities? The level of detail definitely suggests a deliberate, rather than casual, study of the scene. It suggests a knowledge of the local landscape, implying, for the artist as much as the drawing's intended consumer, a sense of possession, an attitude about property, place, and control. Editor: I wonder how people responded to the accuracy and realism? It allows us, centuries later, to reconstruct, or perhaps reimagine the experience of approaching Arnhem by water. And now we have yet another perspective filtered through a digital device. Curator: A lot to unpack in a "simple" pencil drawing, isn't it? Editor: Indeed, it makes me rethink the layers embedded within these architectural landscapes.