Bomen met kale takken 1834 - 1911

Editor: Here we have Jozef Israëls's "Bomen met kale takken," or "Trees with bare branches," a pencil drawing on paper. It strikes me as quite somber and bleak, almost desolate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see trees as potent symbols, particularly in their bareness. The stark lines evoke a sense of vulnerability and the passage of time. It reminds us of cycles, the endless return and efflorescence that lies ahead of winter. The clustered trunks could evoke a community, sheltering each other. What do you think? Does it suggest anything else about human connection? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't considered community so much. I was focused on the starkness of each individual tree, their reaching branches seeming almost desperate. So, where do you think the image finds its power to create emotion? Curator: I'm drawn to the use of line, stark and unforgiving, that outlines forms as essential archetypes. The pencil marks themselves leave traces of emotion as felt in the artist’s hand. Perhaps its power comes from its visual austerity. Its power lies in that raw simplicity. How do you interpret the light in this drawing? Editor: It’s subdued, creating a sense of uniformity across the forms of the trees. Overall, this helps create that desolate mood, as the trees and landscape blur together. Thank you, this conversation shifted my perspective. I appreciate your interpretation of these trees in this symbolic context! Curator: Likewise! It's rewarding to discover such new viewpoints to layer onto such art, opening the symbolism from memory to community, loss and growth.