Burgerweeshuis te Rotterdam 1790

Editor: Here we have Jan Bulthuis’s etching and print, "Burgerweeshuis te Rotterdam," created around 1790. It shows an orphanage. The precise linework gives it a documentary feel. What strikes you about it? Curator: As a materialist, I see more than just a building. I’m drawn to the physical creation – the etched lines on paper, multiplied through the printing press. This was a method of mass production in its time, disseminating images of power and social structures to a wider audience. How does the act of printing shape our understanding of this orphanage? Editor: I guess the print medium makes the orphanage seem more official somehow? More permanent? Curator: Precisely! The crisp lines and architectural accuracy – hallmarks of Neoclassicism – present the orphanage as rational, orderly. Think about the materials of the building itself – brick, stone, glass – and how they were acquired, fashioned, and assembled. The etching, in turn, mimics and reinforces this sense of imposed order and control. Notice the repetitive window pattern... Who labored to create and maintain it all? Editor: I never thought about it that way – more than just an image, it’s a record of the physical resources and labour involved in the city of Rotterdam. What can we really learn from an etching? Curator: A great deal, really. We have to ask about the access, who consumed this image, how the labour within the orphanage’s walls ensured the well being of these residents. Who did the labour benefit in the long run, those inside or out? Editor: I see your point! This isn't just a neutral depiction; the etching process and materials subtly reinforce existing power dynamics within society. Curator: Exactly! Thinking about materiality gives us a whole new layer of interpretation. Editor: Definitely gives me a fresh appreciation for prints and etchings beyond just the image itself.