Schuit aangemeerd aan de Schiekade 1860 - 1921

Editor: This is "Schuit aangemeerd aan de Schiekade" by Adolf le Comte, made sometime between 1860 and 1921, using mixed media on paper: ink, watercolor, pencil, and what appears to be etching. I’m struck by the sketch-like quality and how the simple strokes really convey the stillness of the water. What stands out to you? Curator: For me, it's the layering of different media that is most compelling. Look at the almost industrial feel given to the scene through the combined effect of pencil, ink and watercolor which captures a moment of labour and industry with the boats gently berthed along the canal, most likely for unloading goods, their materiality heavily used for that purpose. The 'mixed media' quality of it brings into question the conventional division of what art is and the 'lower' craft. Do you see it that way as well? Editor: I see your point about blurring the lines. I hadn’t really considered the materials themselves as highlighting a sense of everyday work and labour. Curator: The combination speaks volumes about artistic experimentation at a time of changing social context, when artists were exploring a range of materials available, also suggesting ideas around mass production with relatively cheaper medium available to explore, and how that plays into what art could become. Editor: So you’re suggesting the very act of combining these accessible materials might be a conscious commentary? Curator: Absolutely. It challenges traditional notions of high art by embracing readily available materials and depicting scenes of daily labour. The artistic process itself, with its reliance on diverse and somewhat commonplace materials, mirrors the work being done on the Schiekade. It makes one reconsider assumptions on material and the context surrounding the making of things. Editor: That’s fascinating. I'll definitely look at art with a more material-focused eye going forward. Curator: I'm glad I could shed some light on this. Remember, art is as much about the how and the why as it is about the what.