Gladiool 1887 - 1924

Curator: This delicate drawing, "Gladiool," thought to have been created sometime between 1887 and 1924, is by the Dutch artist Julie de Graag. The Rijksmuseum is fortunate to hold this piece. What's your initial take on this pen and ink sketch? Editor: My first impression is one of quiet fragility. The almost skeletal rendering of the gladiolus against so much negative space feels almost spectral, like a memory rather than a firm presence. There's something inherently melancholic about it. Curator: Absolutely. It almost feels like a pressed flower, doesn't it? Preserved, but also faded, vulnerable. De Graag often worked with nature as her inspiration, abstracting forms to their barest essence. Perhaps this evokes the passing of time, the life cycle. Editor: That's what resonates with me, too. I wonder about the symbolism inherent in choosing the gladiolus. They often represent remembrance and integrity, but they can also symbolize infatuation or even skepticism, a dichotomy perhaps reflective of De Graag's personal experiences as a female artist navigating a male-dominated world. Curator: That's insightful. I'm curious about the intense contrast against the stark white of the paper, how it plays with the line weight. She almost uses a musical notation in its lightness and delicacy! Almost a sort of ephemeral elegy on the page. Editor: Precisely. The high contrast certainly emphasizes a sense of dichotomy, perhaps reflecting on the lived experience of those who were ostracized in her time for their sexual or racial identity and artistic explorations. De Graag seemed dedicated to sketching natural shapes with almost an objective mechanical and scientific passion. Curator: Yes, this gladiolus then could act as a beautiful, simple memorial to those who are overlooked. De Graag encourages us to remember how even a seemingly simple image can provoke so much discourse on the impact that people had in their present day. Editor: It underscores the enduring power of quiet observation and how nature can become a silent yet potent symbol of resilience and resistance. It gives one a sense of introspection and almost of resolve in honoring one's identity and those from the past.