De eenzame 1926

Editor: This is "De eenzame," or "The Lonely One," a pen and ink drawing by Dick Ket, from 1926. It's a rather stark depiction of a bare tree. The sketch-like quality gives it an intimate feeling, almost like a page from a personal sketchbook. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: It’s intriguing how Ket uses such humble materials – pen and ink on what looks like basic paper – to create this feeling of isolation. The “sketchbook” aesthetic, as you noted, speaks to the artist’s direct, unfiltered engagement with the landscape. What labor went into sourcing these simple tools and transforming the experience into art? That’s worth considering. Editor: I hadn't really considered that aspect. It makes me think about the accessibility of art making and the contrast between this and, say, a large-scale oil painting in terms of resources. Curator: Precisely. The modest means of production highlight a kind of democratisation of art. Consider the societal context in 1920s Europe. Post-war austerity and changing social structures… a shift away from highly-rendered formal portraiture of the wealthy in favour of more raw depictions of landscape from the everyday. Does that suggest anything to you? Editor: That makes perfect sense. Perhaps the choice of pen and ink reflects a need for simpler tools to capture an increasingly less grandiose world. Curator: Exactly! We should not ignore that “humble” objects of the natural world are also the object of interest. What might appear "raw and available" about this nature that Dick Ket depicts, compared to a more stylized natural scenery? Editor: It makes me realize I often focus on the 'what' instead of the 'how' and 'why' of art making. Curator: And focusing on the “how” and “why” brings us closer to understanding art not as a removed aesthetic object, but as a material engagement with the world. A thought to take away from "The Lonely One"!