Stadhuis te Middelburg c. 1728 - 1732

Cornelis Pronk’s delicate pencil drawing presents us with the Stadhuis te Middelburg, rendered with precision and care. The architectural study, displayed across two pages of an open book, is a symphony of lines, capturing the building's intricate Gothic details. Pronk’s choice to represent the building in this way evokes a sense of depth, even in the absence of colour. The composition’s visual effect is achieved through meticulous detail and scale; notice how the lines work together to create a harmonious balance, emphasizing the symmetry and proportion of the building. The drawing also functions as a historical document. Pronk’s drawing is not just a mere depiction but also an interpretation, filtered through his artistic sensibility and the architectural trends of his time. Consider, then, how the structure of the drawing—its lines, forms, and composition—interacts with the historical and cultural context of the building itself. This artwork provides insight into how we perceive, document, and assign meaning to architectural forms.