Kersenmarkt te Maastricht 1830 - 1899

Curator: Alexander Schaepkens' etching and print, “Kersenmarkt te Maastricht,” made sometime between 1830 and 1899, invites us to consider a past cityscape held within the Rijksmuseum collection. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Its austerity. Stark, almost haunted. The scene feels sparsely populated, almost deserted, save for those few figures swallowed by the imposing architecture. It is strangely melancholy. Curator: That feeling resonates, considering etchings were often vehicles for both documentation and imaginative rendering. What architectural motifs do you recognize? Editor: I'm drawn to that off-kilter building on the left. The artist makes sure it almost touches us, the viewers. It has a haphazard, lived-in feeling, which lends it character. And the looming spire in the distance anchors the scene, reminding us this is more than just a street. There’s history layered in every line, it feels like. Curator: Observe the linework: chaotic in shadows, sparse in light. How might this artistic decision amplify a viewer's perception? Editor: Absolutely! It captures the inherent transience of city life. Etchings and prints feel appropriate, a means to replicate memory. Even its supposed realism evokes a dream. A reconstruction of something the artist loved and needed to remember. I imagine walking there. It is an intimate moment. Curator: It’s an invitation to step into a tangible past. Thank you for articulating this sentiment so well, lending a new perspective to the symbolic depth within this seemingly straightforward cityscape. Editor: Thanks, that's the goal, isn't it? Hopefully it evokes memories in the visitor, or kindles curiosity about Maastricht's historical tapestry.