Oude haven van Toulon 1776 - 1816

Editor: Here we have Yves Marie Le Gouaz’s "Oude haven van Toulon," dating from 1776 to 1816, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It's a print, made with aquatint and engraving. What I find striking is the almost photorealistic detail achieved through printmaking, the rendering of light on water... what catches your eye? Curator: The interplay of line and tone certainly commands attention. Observe the delicate hatching used to suggest the voluminous clouds and their reflection, versus the crisp, decisive lines defining the ships. It reveals a careful manipulation of the printmaking medium itself. Do you perceive any deliberate contrast within the composition? Editor: Now that you point it out, there's a definite contrast between the detailed foreground and the somewhat hazy background. The ships closer to us are so sharp, while those in the distance fade into a grey mass. Does this have any particular significance from a formalist viewpoint? Curator: Indeed. This strategic manipulation of focus establishes a visual hierarchy, directing the viewer's gaze and creating a sense of depth. Notice how the darker tones and complex lines are employed closest to the viewer, pulling us into the scene, with the lighter areas existing only to further create the illusion. The formal elements, like these tonal shifts, contribute to a spatial dynamic within the two-dimensional picture plane. The subject matter is second. Editor: So, the value is less about what is depicted but *how* it is depicted, with emphasis on compositional balance and material qualities. It is helpful to be reminded to analyze more abstract properties such as light and line. Curator: Precisely. Through such an exercise, we not only comprehend the skill behind this print but also deepen our appreciation of its aesthetic achievement within the possibilities inherent in printmaking itself.