Gezicht op de haven van Medemblik 1780 - 1787

Editor: So, here we have "View of the Port of Medemblik," an engraving from between 1780 and 1787 by Mathias de Sallieth, currently residing in the Rijksmuseum. It's striking how calm and busy the scene feels at the same time. All these little ships bobbing on the water under a dramatic sky. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, isn't it interesting how a simple scene, a port, can be rendered with such, dare I say, almost theatrical drama? The baroque influence peeks through, a sense of movement, of grandeur. Look at the sky – heavy, pregnant with possibility. But then, juxtaposed with that is this painstaking detail in the ships, in the buildings of Medemblik. It feels both real and like a carefully staged memory, don't you think? I can almost smell the salt air. Does it invoke a feeling or a scent memory within you? Editor: It definitely gives off that ‘historic postcard’ vibe, all careful lines and dramatic lighting, but there's also something slightly unsettling about the sky – maybe that’s just because I’m used to brighter colors. What do you make of its being labeled 'plein-air' given the medium is print and engraving? It seems a little... unusual, right? Curator: Aha, you’ve caught something! Indeed, ‘plein-air’ traditionally denotes painting done outdoors, in direct observation. The engraving process here involved the outdoors sketches used to inform its imagery – consider those rough sketches its ‘field notes,’ translating those momentary impressions onto the copper plate. The 'spirit' of place lives here, rather than direct transcription. This piece transcends merely being about *what* is seen; it is how it *felt* to be there! Isn't it all about conveying emotion in the end? Editor: That's such a clever point, I hadn't considered the initial sketch's environment. That really shifts the way I view this engraving, thank you! Curator: The pleasure is all mine. May your appreciation grow with time.