Berglandschap met stad 1593 - 1620

Editor: This is “Berglandschap met stad,” or "Mountainous Landscape with City," an etching from sometime between 1593 and 1620 by Johann Sadeler I. The details are astounding, it's almost overwhelming, and really theatrical. What catches your eye about this fantastical scene? Curator: The density, definitely. Look at how Sadeler has packed so much detail into a relatively small space. It’s as if he’s trying to capture not just a place, but an entire world. What stories do you imagine playing out here? Are the figures connected? Editor: They seem very isolated, like they’re in their own little dramas, each with a journey to take. There's something epic about it all, despite their smallness. Like an ant farm! I wonder, how much of this was imagined versus observed? Curator: Well, Mannerism was known for exaggerating and idealizing, wasn't it? It's hard to say for sure if Sadeler ever saw a place like this. He's less interested in strict realism, and more focused on conveying a feeling or an atmosphere – a sense of grand drama that teeters on the edge of fantasy. It's almost as if the natural world itself is a stage set! Doesn't it spark something primal inside you? Editor: Yes! I definitely want to be there...or maybe not? It's beautiful and also slightly ominous. Thanks, this helped me see the picture in a new, richer way. Curator: My pleasure! And who knows, maybe the journey isn't always as it appears on the surface!