's Winters buiten 1903 - 1919

This color lithograph, 's Winters buiten by Arie Willem Segboer, shows various winter scenes. It’s like a page from a children’s book, with blocks of images, that have a sweet and innocent feel. The subdued colors, like muted reds and browns, create a nostalgic, almost sepia-toned world. I find myself drawn to the window scene at the top right. The faces peering out, the icicles hanging down – it’s like a little stage. The details are so precise, yet the scene overall feels fleeting, like a memory. It reminds me of the way folk art often captures a moment with simple, direct emotion. Looking at this work, I am reminded of the work of the illustrator, Kate Greenaway, who created gentle and nostalgic images of children in nature. I think art is at its best when it's talking to other art, echoing, repeating, and remaking.