Uitzicht op de gevels van rijtjeshuizen vanuit een raam 1890 - 1946

Curator: Looking at this cityscape, the first thing that strikes me is its melancholic stillness. It's as though time is holding its breath. Editor: I agree. Cornelis Vreedenburgh created this drawing, titled "Uitzicht op de gevels van rijtjeshuizen vanuit een raam," sometime between 1890 and 1946. It’s currently housed here at the Rijksmuseum. A fairly straightforward architectural drawing rendered with pencil, etching and paper. Curator: Yes, the window frame acts as a proscenium arch, framing the houses beyond. What do you make of the curtain detail? Editor: It's fascinating. Those heavy, drawn curtains introduce a sense of domestic confinement. The view, rather than expansive and free, feels quite claustrophobic, burdened by an internal life, almost screened off from the external world. The pencil hatching to build the structure seems to me the methodic work of representation, yet, the architectural scene beyond conveys a feeling of entrapment within familiar views. Curator: Exactly! The roofs and chimneys punctuate the skyline, their repetitious forms symbolizing perhaps the monotony of urban life. And the stark, barren branches overhead… a potent symbol of loss or perhaps quiet anticipation for something to blossom again. The very form embodies a visual cultural trope relating to cold times. Editor: Interesting take! For me the lines direct your eye. The strong horizontals of the window frame are balanced by the verticality of the rooftops and chimneys. And Vreedenburgh contrasts the crisp lines of the buildings with the softer, more gestural marks describing the branches. The visual is interesting in its overall harmony, however cold. Curator: Ultimately, for me, the drawing embodies a powerful tension between the external facade of a typical, orderly world and a hidden, more vulnerable emotional interior. Editor: I think I see your point. Regardless of its symbolism, there’s no denying it's an evocative work. Thanks for lending your insight! Curator: And thank you for discussing.