Gezicht op het Ulrichsplatz te Augsburg 1742 - 1801

Editor: We’re looking at “Gezicht op het Ulrichsplatz te Augsburg” by Georg Balthasar Probst, likely created between 1742 and 1801. It’s an etching, a print, and an engraving all at once! I find it so…orderly. The perspective lines are so sharp, and each figure seems carefully placed. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: I observe a meticulously constructed composition, one where geometric structure governs the visual field. Notice how the artist employed linear perspective to create depth. The receding buildings function as clear structuring devices that lead the eye, while the fountain is centered for balance and a vanishing point is created at the background. The orthogonal lines dictate where the building facades lie. Editor: That's fascinating. The perspective almost feels exaggerated. How does the color contribute? Curator: Indeed. The limited palette—primarily pastel hues—functions as a supplementary layer of compositional articulation, dividing the pictorial space with subtle chromatic contrasts and lending legibility to each shape. Do you note the relationships between shapes through tonal value, with areas of darker tones helping define forms? This highlights the three-dimensionality intended, despite the print's inherent flatness. Editor: So the buildings aren't just buildings; their forms help carry meaning. The tones direct our attention… fascinating. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: Exactly. Art is a complex visual language which operates from inter-relational, constituent forms. Looking closely helps us to decode its components piece by piece and understand it more. Editor: This has definitely changed how I look at this artwork, especially to value its compositional elements rather than passively consuming the scene.