Zwemmende vissen, waaronder een sterlet 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof created this pencil drawing titled 'Swimming Fish, Including a Sterlet', date unknown, that is now held in the Rijksmuseum collection. The composition immediately strikes us with its dynamic arrangement of forms. Dijsselhof uses the medium of pencil to create a vibrant, almost ethereal scene of fish in motion. The texture is alive with the subtle interplay of light and shadow. The choice of monochrome underscores a focus on form. Dijsselhof challenges traditional representational art through a semiotic interpretation. Fish motifs could be seen as more than just aquatic life, perhaps also as symbols of fluidity, transformation, or the subconscious. The drawing reflects a shift towards abstraction and symbolic representation. Here we see how Dijsselhof explores new ways of thinking about space, perception and representation. Dijsselhof, through this drawing, invites us to contemplate the underlying structures of meaning and representation in art, leaving room for ongoing interpretation.