Zittende vrouw met kind 1875 - 1934

Editor: Here we have Isaac Israels' "Seated Woman with Child," a pencil drawing dating from the late 19th or early 20th century. I find the sketchiness so immediate. What does this drawing reveal to you? Curator: Well, it’s a candid moment captured in a few strokes. For me, this piece is deeply embedded within the social context of late 19th-century Holland. Israels was interested in portraying everyday life, the realities of people he saw around him, moving away from grand historical narratives. Do you see that in the rapid strokes? Editor: I do. There's a kind of unidealized feel to it. Is it a conscious political choice? Curator: Absolutely. The Hague School, which Israels belonged to, challenged the artistic establishment by focusing on the working class and ordinary scenes. In whose hands is this image now? And why? Editor: It's at the Rijksmuseum. I guess because Israels is considered important to Dutch art history. They have a vast collection, which allows them to put works like these on view for the public, thereby validating specific art historical narratives. It’s interesting how that legitimizes the everyday! Curator: Precisely. And it prompts us to consider how the museum shapes our perception of what's artistically valuable and worthy of preservation. What do you make of the placement in a book instead of framed? Editor: Good point! To me that detail almost democratizes the image itself...it's from a sketchbook, making the artwork accessible because of its context. I find this to be so revealing of the intersection between everyday life and the art world!