Sint Joris verslaat de draak 1625 - 1673

Editor: Here we have an ink and pen drawing from between 1625 and 1673, entitled "Saint George Slaying the Dragon," currently held at the Rijksmuseum, and attributed to an anonymous artist. The flurry of line work gives it a very active, almost frantic energy. What strikes you most about this drawing? Curator: What’s immediately compelling to me is how the artist used readily available materials – pen and ink – to create a scene of immense social and cultural weight. St. George, a figure interwoven with notions of chivalry and religious conflict, becomes accessible through these everyday means. It invites the question: what kind of workshop practice might have enabled this skilled draftsmanship using humble materials? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. So, you’re thinking about the physical making of it more than the story itself? Curator: Exactly. Consider the Baroque period. While known for grandeur, this drawing suggests a different engagement, one deeply rooted in the labor of production. Each stroke, each application of ink, represents time and skill – things embedded within the market of artmaking itself. And what was the function of such drawings? Is this a preparatory sketch, or an artwork on its own terms, made for circulation amongst collectors of works on paper? Editor: I see your point. I usually think of Baroque art as these massive, opulent displays, but this is so much more intimate and immediate in its construction. It makes you consider what artmaking looked like on a daily level. Curator: And who consumed it. This accessibility challenges notions of 'high' and 'low' art; the allegory isn't diminished by the raw materials, but made accessible by them. What do you make of that? Editor: That’s changed how I see it. I was initially drawn to the drama of the scene, but thinking about the labor and accessibility brings it down to earth, in a way. Thanks for opening my eyes! Curator: Likewise! Thinking through the materiality often offers a vital new way to approach familiar iconographies.