Vrouwenkapsels 1780

Editor: This print, titled "Vrouwenkapsels" or "Women's Hairstyles," was created around 1780 by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, and it's currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It's an etching showcasing a variety of elaborate women's hairstyles. It really emphasizes line, wouldn't you agree? I find the sheer volume of some of these styles quite striking. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: Indeed, the emphasis on line is paramount. Note how Chodowiecki employs delicate, almost surgical lines to define the intricate structures of these hairstyles. Consider, also, the deliberate arrangement within the rectangular format; two distinct groupings, each a carefully considered study in form and negative space. The density of lines varies considerably, doesn't it? How do you think that affects the overall reading of the work? Editor: It creates visual interest and contrast! Some hairstyles seem lighter and airier, while others feel denser and heavier because of the amount of hatching and cross-hatching. Is it a commentary, do you think, that this variation draws a distinction between them? Curator: Potentially. A Formalist lens guides us to initially put that aside and focus on purely visual properties. Notice how Chodowiecki meticulously differentiates textures using the etching technique. Look at the smooth sheen of the skin juxtaposed against the feathered quality of the hair itself. He is drawing our attention to pure form in relation to other pure forms: planes, shapes, and lines in careful coordination. It isn’t so much what it represents, but how the parts relate as a cohesive composition that engages our aesthetic sensibilities. Editor: That's fascinating. I never really considered focusing on pure shape when thinking about how different they are. Curator: Thinking this way, how would you describe the structure now? Does focusing solely on its qualities such as contrast or negative space affect what the image is doing? Editor: Definitely. Focusing on how light and dark and shadow interplays on the styles makes me consider shape over meaning at the beginning. Thank you for the helpful points to consider, shifting my focus has revealed new details about the piece.