Watch-Tower c. 18th century

Editor: This is "Watch-Tower" by Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich. It feels like a snapshot of a forgotten place, full of hidden stories and subtle details. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a stage set, almost. Dietrich, born in 1712, loved playing with light and shadow. The crumbling tower and figures…are they actors waiting for their cue, or are they ghosts haunting a ruin? The dense lines remind me of Rembrandt, but with a twist of capriccio. What do you make of the figures looking out at the distance? Editor: Maybe they're daydreaming about what's beyond that tower? Thank you, this has been really helpful. Curator: My pleasure. Art is just a big daydream, isn't it?