Drie stoelen 1745 - 1775

Editor: Here we have "Drie stoelen," or "Three Chairs," an engraving from between 1745 and 1775 by an anonymous artist, here at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is the artist's commitment to clearly differentiating these three chairs using line and form. What aspects stand out to you? Curator: The precision of the engraving certainly commands attention. Notice the delicate interplay of lines creating variations in texture and volume across the three chairs. How does the structure of each chair, the individual shapes of their backrests, for example, contribute to a different sense of ‘chair-ness’? Editor: The 'Flamande', in the center, uses vertical lines for the back in a way that does feel distinct from the 'Duchesse' chairs on either side. The ovals are similar, but so different at the same time! Is the grid-like pattern on the floor significant, or is it simply a way to provide depth? Curator: An astute observation. The tiled floor provides a rational counterpoint to the more baroque designs of the chairs themselves, an anchor in reality perhaps. Look at how the shadows, rendered with such precision, enhance the three-dimensionality of the objects, adding another layer to the composition. This focus on the construction of pictorial space seems most relevant. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered. So, you’re suggesting that it is the tension between the real and the decorative that is crucial. Curator: Precisely. The artist's formal arrangement and the variations between the chairs, along with the contrasting background, generate a field for visual consideration above all else. What do we ultimately know about these chairs themselves as we examine them in relation to one another, structurally? Editor: It’s amazing to see how much one can learn by looking closely at the basic formal elements! It is almost a meditation on what defines "chair." Thanks! Curator: Indeed. Form always informs.