Studieblad met geiten c. 1850 - 1950

Curator: This is a pencil sketch titled "Studieblad met geiten", or Study Sheet with Goats, created by the Monogrammist DS sometime between 1850 and 1950. Editor: I'm immediately struck by the intimacy of the drawing, and the relaxed poses of the goats. There’s a real sense of immediacy; it feels as though we're looking at sketches made on the spot. Curator: Absolutely. The artist has used simple pencil strokes on paper to capture these animals. It's intriguing to think about the artist's process—observing, selecting, and rendering these goats from life. Consider how readily available materials like paper and pencil democratize art making! It makes art possible beyond formal studios and patronage. Editor: Yes, and these studies weren't necessarily meant as 'high art' in themselves. They were possibly practice or preparatory work. I’m curious about the setting—were these domesticated goats, or were they in a more wild environment? Their depiction really affects our understanding. Is this meant to romanticize or idealize the labor on farms for instance? Curator: The presence of collars on some of the goats definitely indicates domestication, influencing the relationship between humans, labor, and nature, as well as access to food through herding, milking, etc. I notice the variations in line weight that bring some goats forward while others exist as lighter presences on the page, emphasizing the artist’s command of a simple medium. Editor: Right. And those tonal variations and subtle shading also bring texture and volume to the animals. One can almost feel the coarse hair. Did the artist want to humanize these figures? What does that reveal about their role in Dutch agrarian society? I think these questions help open us to new meanings within seemingly straightforward depictions. Curator: The very act of creating a study sheet speaks to artistic labor, honing skills through repetitive drawing. The medium and the subject offer an insightful view into art making outside the gilded frame. Editor: Well, this artwork definitely highlights how social and political contexts always infuse what we may otherwise take for granted in art! Curator: Indeed! Reflecting on artistic choices and their related materials shifts one's thinking from individual genius toward societal infrastructure that makes art making possible.