Panorama of New York and Vicinity 1866

Editor: This is "Panorama of New York and Vicinity," a print, etching, and drawing made in 1866 by John Bachmann. It's this incredibly detailed, almost overwhelming birds-eye view. I find the scale just remarkable, making the city look both expansive and strangely ordered. What do you see in this piece, something that maybe jumps out at you? Curator: Oh, where to even begin! What tickles my fancy is the idea of trying to find your way around this landscape. It feels almost like an ancestor to Google Earth, doesn’t it? But one dreamt up with ink and incredible patience! Can you imagine the city planner in 1866 thinking "Yes, this is *exactly* how it should all fit together!" while etching this. Or maybe they thought nothing of it. Editor: I hadn't considered the city planning angle. It's interesting to think about how idealized it might be. Curator: Or perhaps not. Imagine, what were people actually feeling walking through these tiny etched streets? What kind of stories, funny, dreadful, or both, were happening in each one of those specks we assume are houses? Bachmann has made history – alive, dreaming, human history – something almost dreamlike. Wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely dreamlike. It's easy to get lost in the details and invent stories, filling in all the unspoken gaps. I guess that is part of art. Curator: Exactly, an invitation for you and me to breathe our souls into this ghost of a place! I think I might spend the rest of my afternoon staring into those streets dreaming about the past and the future. Editor: Thanks, I'm going to dive in myself now. What a deep piece!