Begrafenisstoet van Willem IV, prins van Oranje 1752

Editor: This is Jacobus Buys’ "Funeral Procession of Willem IV, Prince of Orange," made in 1752. It’s a print using ink on paper. The procession unfolds in horizontal bands. The sheer number of figures and the detailed rendering of each carriage really strike me. What do you see in this piece, focusing on its formal qualities? Curator: The work is striking in its organisation. Note the deployment of horizontal bands across the visual field; a hierarchical layering effect emerges through the distinct articulation of space, even without relying on conventional perspective. How does this rigid structuring influence the viewing experience, do you think? Editor: It makes it feel very formal and controlled, almost like a record or diagram more than a dynamic depiction. But why this insistent linearity rather than, say, a more illusionistic depiction? Curator: Exactly. Consider the composition of shapes and the stark contrasts between dark and light; these render depth. The emphasis shifts away from representing three-dimensional reality and centers the eye on the two-dimensional picture plane. It serves as an inventory or taxonomy of elements in the parade, rather than a rendering of reality. We have almost no spatial depth in any band, allowing the viewer to isolate the elements in that portion of the ceremony. Do you see how the details contribute to a flattening of the image? Editor: Now I see how each horizontal band works almost independently from each other. I hadn’t considered that the flatness emphasized the procession’s details instead of its setting. Curator: Precision over illusion, contributing to its character. Ultimately, this artwork highlights the formal arrangement and design over accurate visual representation. What started as perhaps a straightforward illustration contains many other intricate aesthetic choices.