Romaans kapiteel 1831 - 1904

Editor: Here we have "Romaans kapiteel," created by Arnoud Schaepkens sometime between 1831 and 1904. It looks like a pencil drawing on aged paper, showing details of architectural ornamentation. It gives me a very nostalgic feeling, like looking at old blueprints. What stories do you think this sketch can tell us about its time? Curator: Well, at first glance, we see an architectural study. But I encourage us to dig deeper. Think about the nineteenth century and its obsession with cataloging and "preserving" the past, often through drawings like this one. What was at stake in defining and documenting Romanesque style? Whose stories were being centered, and whose were being erased in the process of creating this visual archive? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered it as a form of cultural preservation, or even, perhaps, a kind of cultural gatekeeping. Do you see that reflected in the drawing style itself? Curator: Absolutely. The meticulous detail, the emphasis on "authenticity"— these are all choices that reflect a particular ideology. Notice the animals intertwined with foliage— how might those motifs speak to a longing for a connection with nature, or perhaps, a romanticized view of the medieval world? Editor: So, it’s not just about accurately representing the Romanesque, but about shaping a particular narrative around it. It is less of a faithful copy and more of a reinterpretation of power dynamics! I never would have thought to consider this drawing in that light. Curator: Exactly! And by acknowledging those underlying narratives, we can start to unpack the complex relationships between art, history, and society. Editor: Thanks, I’m definitely going to look at these kinds of drawings differently now! It’s made me realise there's a world beyond the art object in these artworks!