Stadsgezicht met poort 1837 - 1880

Editor: This print, “Stadsgezicht met poort,” or "Cityscape with Gate," by Jacobus van Gorkom Jr., was created sometime between 1837 and 1880, using etching and ink. The linework gives it a very immediate feel. What strikes you about this work? Curator: The etching process is key here. Consider the labor involved in creating the plate, the repetitive action of inking and printing. It allowed for the mass production of this image, a democratization of art, if you will. The subject matter supports this too—a city gate, a site of commerce and movement, rather than, say, a royal portrait. Editor: That's a good point, I hadn't considered that the choice of cityscape, and specifically the gate, could have implications for accessibility. Are you suggesting the medium and the subject were intentionally linked? Curator: Intentionally is a strong word, but certainly connected. Etching offered a means to represent the everyday, and further, disseminate it. Think about the paper itself – where did it come from? Who made it? How was the ink sourced and produced? Each element carries a history of labor and materials. Editor: It makes you consider the value of mass production versus a unique piece, doesn't it? The "original" loses some of its preciousness. Curator: Precisely. And in doing so, it redefines the artistic experience, pulling it away from solely the realm of the elite. Van Gorkom's choice to depict Rotterdam's working landscape implicates his piece within a developing commercial ecosystem. What else strikes you? Editor: Now that I think of it, the style looks like something of an earlier time... I see what you mean. I’ll definitely think more about materials from now on!