Gedicht ter ere van een overleden vriend 1834 - 1906

Curator: This is “Gedicht ter ere van een overleden vriend” which roughly translates to “Poem in honor of a deceased friend”, made by Maria Vos, sometime between 1834 and 1906. It's a mixed-media drawing on paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes you about it? Editor: I'm struck by its intimacy. It feels like we're peering into a very private space, almost like reading someone's personal journal. I see handwritten text, almost like calligraphy, but also looser sketch-like elements. What can you tell me about its context? Curator: I agree, that intimate feel is key. Considering Vos's personal life as a woman artist navigating the 19th century, this piece resonates with themes of private expression and remembrance, particularly within the constraints imposed upon women at the time. Note the mixed media - the combination of precise lettering alongside softer, more expressive marks. Editor: That's interesting! So, you see this as a deliberate act of self-expression, perhaps even resistance, against those constraints? Curator: Absolutely. Women's creative work was often relegated to the domestic sphere. Pieces like this existed outside the grand narratives of official art. Vos reclaims the space of mourning and memory. Who was this friend, and why does this text occupy the form of a work of art? Editor: I didn't think about the identity and positionality of the author. Also, how the artist reclaims these notions and breaks expectations from the viewers. Curator: Exactly. These questions regarding intersectionality and how identity informs artistic practices are so important. Perhaps next time, we can discuss what happens when these artistic liberties enter our modern spaces. Editor: I would love that! It is amazing to consider what this artwork shows about 19th-century artists and to analyze how to properly think about its implications nowadays.