Twee meisjes staande in een tuin 1877 - 1942

Editor: Here we have "Two Girls Standing in a Garden" by Henriëtte de Vries, created sometime between 1877 and 1942, using pencil on paper. I'm immediately struck by its almost dreamlike quality; it’s a landscape but the figures seem central. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It whispers, doesn't it? This is like a faded photograph found in grandma's attic. For me, it's about memory. Notice how the landscape seems almost overgrown, romantic, yet also a little melancholic. Like a memory slightly blurred. The girls are central, but somewhat isolated in this lush setting. Almost like they're lost in thought. Does that resonate with you? Editor: Definitely. It feels very personal, like a glimpse into a private world. But what about the garden itself? What does that signify? Curator: Ah, gardens! They are always about cultivation, but also about a contained wildness. Think of it as representing childhood: a protected space for growth and exploration, yet hinting at the wilderness to come. De Vries captures that duality beautifully. Makes you wonder what they’re talking about, doesn't it? Maybe sharing secrets, or planning an escape to those slightly dangerous looking woods. Editor: It really does spark the imagination. So much more than just a drawing of two girls in a garden! Curator: Precisely! Art is an invitation to wander through our own interior gardens, isn't it? De Vries hands us the key, and we get to choose the path. Editor: Well, I will certainly be thinking about my interior garden after that explanation. Thanks!