Gezicht op het Oude Stadhuis te Den Haag 1760

Curator: This etching, entitled "Gezicht op het Oude Stadhuis te Den Haag", or "View of the Old Town Hall in The Hague", dates to 1760. It gives us an idea of the city's built environment during the mid-eighteenth century. Editor: It’s so meticulous. A whole little world captured in sepia tones. Almost dreamlike, though there’s something oddly stiff about the people bustling around – a sense of order prevailing. I mean, look at that tower! Like a layered cake... Curator: Indeed. The print is created with the etching technique, which allowed for such fine, precise lines. Etchings were incredibly popular at the time, and the baroque details emphasize order and clear structure, reflecting Enlightenment ideals. Editor: Baroque! Yes, you see it in the details - ornate crests above the facade and the like. Though to be honest, that formality clashes with the human scale presented in the lower foreground where folks wait or trade, a humble perspective somehow anchors the scene. Curator: Absolutely. Cityscapes like this weren’t just documentation. They served a function. This image specifically celebrates the Baron of Wassenaar who served as the Bailiff and Schout or sheriff, suggesting it played a role in projecting and celebrating the established social hierarchy. Editor: That adds another layer - a visual propaganda piece, really. It subtly celebrates those in power! Despite its meticulous facade of everyday life, that subtext feels like a very pointed message in that period, or still in our own. An interesting juxtaposition of surface calm and deeply rooted social intentions. Curator: Precisely! We can think about how an image like this shaped perceptions of civic power and public space. What elements were emphasized, and what was conveniently left out? Editor: Right, the absences. The silences of history whisper loudly here. Well, I'm not sure about you, but my perception of old-world The Hague definitely transformed a bit. So much to consider that this image sparks.