Studieblad met diverse boten 1870 - 1931

Curator: This is Willem Bastiaan Tholen’s "Studieblad met diverse boten," a sketchbook page with various boats, created sometime between 1870 and 1931. Editor: Ah, it’s all sketches. Fleeting, like catching thoughts before they sail away. The light pencil work gives it this airy, almost dreamlike quality. Curator: Precisely. The rapidograph pen and graphite pencil on paper tells a story of quick observations, a direct engagement with the subject. What's interesting to note is how the artist seems to experiment with the form, some sails only as outlines, while others have more detail. Editor: Yes, and you get the sense of movement, don’t you? The boats bobbing, the water…even the little puff of smoke from that tiny steamer feels alive. Curator: The Rijksmuseum holds this sheet, a physical object handled and worked upon by Tholen. We’re essentially seeing his thought process, the evolution of his understanding. How the repetitive rendering can also show something of the routine within art. Editor: I wonder where he was, sketching these. Was it a bustling harbour or quiet backwater? It makes me think of my own sketchbooks...full of half-formed ideas and impulsive drawings. Curator: It really transcends simple representation. These boats aren't just boats; they are artifacts imbued with Tholen’s labour, with their own context in history, industry, trade, and even leisure. The paper, the materials, are tied to vast global networks. Editor: Absolutely, this sheet feels deeply personal but resonates beyond its humble means. There's a kind of honesty to its simplicity. Curator: Agreed, these rapid impressions really allow you to connect to Tholen's vision. Editor: What a pleasure, the quiet murmur of ink across paper and all these journeys ahead.