Vogelen 1850

Curator: Here we have "Vogelen," a print by Jan Schuitemaker dating back to 1850. It presents a charming series of birds within little framed vignettes. What springs to mind for you upon seeing this? Editor: A Victorian birdwatcher’s scrapbook! The piece, with its almost primitive woodcut aesthetic, exudes a quaint and orderly charm. I am struck by the simple clarity of each individual frame that hosts birds of all varieties, and it really lends to a beautiful sense of balance. Curator: Indeed. Schuitemaker utilized the print medium—specifically woodcut—to offer these almost taxonomical observations. Note how each bird, neatly presented against its habitat, is labeled in Dutch, reflecting the era’s interest in natural history and education, perhaps specifically for children. Editor: And there is a naivete, too! It's in the coloring, a somewhat childlike rendering of shadow and light and tone. While scientifically purposed, the landscapes, for example, don’t necessarily ground the birds firmly. Instead, they almost seem suspended. What visual strategies draw my eye toward a specific subject and how is that strategy communicated on this page, are questions that now seem incredibly pressing. Curator: It really prompts the question of where objective documentation blurs into artistic interpretation. His approach to line and form is decidedly expressive, despite the supposed goal of scientific accuracy. Editor: Almost like little theatres. It evokes both careful study but also whimsy. But is this truly whimsy or a mode for visual learning? That I’m still figuring out. But that the bird at center holds such focus is perhaps a statement in its own way. Curator: Perhaps. It speaks to how we see, really... even when supposedly "scientifically" looking. Editor: Definitely. An excellent starting point for considering how intention shapes all we experience and perceive.