Draagkoets 1731 - 1775

Editor: Here we have Johann Georg Hertel's "Draagkoets," a baroque-style engraving from sometime between 1731 and 1775. It’s all in monochrome and depicts… well, a highly ornate sedan chair. It strikes me as incredibly elaborate. How do you interpret this work, focusing on its form? Curator: The object here invites a very close reading indeed, particularly given the medium of engraving. The very deliberate linearity of the piece establishes an armature on which one could suspend other aesthetic principles. Observe, for instance, the strategic deployment of curvilinear elements—how does this visual contrast mediate our viewing of the artwork's theme? Editor: That’s interesting, I see the curves are concentrated at the edges and corners and almost frame the geometric, flat space of the chair itself. Curator: Precisely! One must consider how the contrasting linearity and curvature serves the structure of the design. Moreover, let us analyze the details. The texture, the pattern making; the composition. Observe the floral decorations versus the rigid geometry, and consider the relationship these elements create, adding to its visual richness. Editor: The tiny details add a lot of character. The bottom left corner has some type of cupid figure? Curator: A keen observation. How might you connect the semiotic value of cupid to the overal formal structure of the Draagkoets design? Is its inclusion simply decorative or perhaps more intrinsic to understanding Hertel's complete artwork? Editor: Perhaps cupid signifies luxury and indulgence. The kind of thing only very wealthy people can enjoy. I will be sure to consider form more consciously when assessing a piece in the future. Curator: A rewarding consideration, I'm sure. Always focus first on what the object offers visually, for what is expressed through materials and structure.