Gezicht op de Amstel bij hofstede Brandwijk 1708 - 1740

Editor: We’re looking at “Gezicht op de Amstel bij hofstede Brandwijk,” or "View of the Amstel River at Brandwijk Farmstead," an etching and engraving by Matthijs Pool, created sometime between 1708 and 1740. I find it so calm and ordered. It’s a snapshot in time. What draws your eye? Curator: Ah, yes, a slice of Dutch life neatly presented! My eye’s caught by the clouds—almost like puffs of smoke, hinting at the bustling city just beyond the frame. I see it less as a still image and more as a… potential narrative. Editor: Narrative? Curator: Yes! The way the artist has arranged the elements - the stillness of the water reflecting the scene. What stories do you think could take place here? I think the print leaves so much space for possibilities, so many opportunities to daydream about the figures that inhabit this view. What sort of carriage do you think that is that’s passing by, do you think the horses are wearing decorative ribbons? Editor: Oh, I didn't even think about that, but it makes you wonder! The closer you look, the more is revealed about life at the time, just hints and clues and then your imagination just takes off from there! Curator: Precisely! And perhaps, that’s Pool’s greatest trick – offering us just enough of a scene to become co-creators, filling in the blanks with our own fancies. What better testament to art’s enduring power?