Stillevens 1834 - 1906

Editor: So, this is Maria Vos' "Stillevens", dating from 1834 to 1906. It's a pencil and ink drawing on toned paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It’s fascinating how loose and exploratory the linework is. What jumps out to you? Curator: The real intrigue for me lies in the artist's process. The materials themselves—pencil, paper, ink—are readily accessible, common tools. What does it tell us about the artistic labor of the time, when 'high art' and these everyday sketching exercises blurred? Vos appears to be examining, rather than creating a final, polished product. Editor: That's a great point! It feels very immediate and intimate, like we’re looking over the artist’s shoulder. How might the act of sketching like this be a form of labor, or even consumption? Curator: Think about the economics of art education then. Drawing was fundamental, a necessary skill to develop. These sketches could represent practice, but also preparation for more 'serious' work, thereby possessing an economic value in building skill and accessing patronage networks. Also, consider paper—its increasing availability due to industrial production enabled greater experimentation. Was it a democratizing factor? Editor: I never thought about the role of readily available materials impacting artistic style. I assumed 'realism' was about just representing something realistically, not about cheaper paper! Curator: Precisely! And consider the role of the artist's hand, the immediate transfer of thought to paper. These rough sketches invite us to contemplate labor, both physical and intellectual, involved in artistic creation. Editor: I see the connections now. This sketchbook drawing, at first glance seemingly simple, reveals a network of material conditions and social practices. It definitely complicates how I see 'high art.' Curator: Absolutely. Examining these 'Stillevens' beyond their aesthetic qualities opens us to broader understanding of the socio-economic factors at play in art production. It's all about seeing beyond the surface.