The Falls at Tivoli (Cataractes Tiburti) c. 16th century

Curator: Hendrick van Cleve III, around the late 16th century, etched this scene called *The Falls at Tivoli.* What strikes you first? Editor: It's dramatic! The stark black and white against those fluffy clouds… it feels both grand and a little unsettling. Curator: Grand it is! Van Cleve captured Tivoli’s famous cascades with remarkable detail. Note how he emphasizes the architecture perched atop the cliff. Editor: Yes, the Temple seems to teeter precariously! The falls are rendered almost abstractly, vertical lines conveying the force of nature. It’s as if the artist wanted to capture the raw power of the falls against the civilizing hand of architecture. Curator: Precisely! The composition directs our gaze from the winding path on the left up towards the heights of the falls, creating a sensory experience on this small plate. Editor: A reminder that even in nature, humans seek to impose order, or at least a vantage point. It’s a bit haunting. Curator: Perhaps, but beauty and awe, too. Van Cleve certainly leaves us with a potent image. Editor: Indeed, I now look at it with a new sense of dramatic perspective.