Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel vanaf de Kerklaan 1869

Editor: We’re looking at "Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel vanaf de Kerklaan" by Johannes Tavenraat, created in 1869. It's a pencil and pen drawing held at the Rijksmuseum. The sketch-like quality really makes it feel immediate and personal. What captures your attention about this piece? Curator: Well, the immediacy you describe points directly to its materiality and the conditions of its making. Think about it: paper and pencil, readily available and portable. Tavenraat isn't constructing some grand, allegorical painting. He's using modest materials for direct observation. It democratizes landscape art, doesn’t it? Making it accessible, less about some divine landscape and more about daily life. Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't considered it in terms of accessibility. Does the "impressionistic" tag fit into that, too? Curator: Exactly! “Impressionism” in a sketch like this isn't just about stylistic choice; it reflects a changing relationship with artistic labor. Tavenraat captures the fleeting impression, rejecting meticulous detail that would have taken far longer. It challenges older, more demanding traditions. The focus shifts from perfect representation to conveying an experience through a rapidly deployed technique, with readily available materials. It makes you wonder about his position in society, his education. Editor: So, instead of focusing on, say, the symbolic meaning of the church steeple, we think about the social implications of *how* the drawing was made? Curator: Precisely. Consider also the labour: how might a finished oil painting compare with a quickly made plein air work, economically speaking? What were the demands placed upon the artist, what value society places on such differing levels of production and types of materiality? Editor: I’m starting to see how the materials and technique connect to wider social and economic shifts. That’s a different way of looking at art than I'm used to! Curator: Absolutely. Analyzing the work as an object helps understand the systems of artistic production that can tell us far more. I find it far more informative than contemplating how lovely the sketch is!