Afrikaantjes in een blauw vaasje 1885 - 1922

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen’s "Afrikaantjes in een blauw vaasje," painted sometime between 1885 and 1922. The texture looks so thick; I can almost feel the impasto. What strikes you about this particular painting? Curator: What intrigues me is how Witsen’s impasto technique elevates this everyday subject, blurring the line between fine art and the inherent materiality of paint itself. Look at the physicality of the medium. What kind of labor do you think went into preparing and applying that much pigment so expressively? Editor: I hadn't really thought about it that way. Was the materiality of paint something artists were actively exploring back then? Curator: Absolutely. The late 19th century saw a growing fascination with the inherent properties of materials. Witsen is part of that, but so is broader consumption— who buys the paint, the canvas, and ultimately the painting itself, and what does it mean? Does this piece become about pure aesthetic appreciation, or a symbol of commodification, bought and sold in a marketplace? Editor: That's interesting, because you don't immediately think of the art market when looking at something this intimate. Curator: Precisely! This contrast highlights how even seemingly simple still lifes are deeply embedded within complex systems of production, consumption, and labor. The 'high art' of Impressionism meets the nuts and bolts of getting paint onto canvas. Editor: So by looking closely at the oil paint, you are really exploring its broader historical context, rather than focusing on solely Witsen's inspiration for it. It gives you an insight of this particular time, thank you. Curator: Precisely, every brushstroke here, while seemingly spontaneous, is the end result of an industrial chain reaction and a particular culture of collecting. Always question what is 'behind' and ‘beyond’ the immediate image!