Hall on Vaulted Basement Standing in Water, on the Right Street Facade 1562

Editor: This is "Hall on Vaulted Basement Standing in Water, on the Right Street Facade," an engraving by Joannes van Doetecum. The architectural detail is amazing. What strikes you first about this print? Curator: The engraving technique allows for remarkable detail. Observe how the cross-hatching defines form and creates gradations of light and shadow. Note the use of line to depict the textures of stone and water, as well as the play of perspective. How do these formal choices affect your reading of the space? Editor: The lines make the scene feel very precise. I also see a sort of impossible symmetry. Thank you! Curator: Indeed. The architectural rendering is both precise and imaginative. Considering such formal devices enhances our understanding of the print.