Fish in an Aquarium 1890 - 1924

Curator: Before us, we have Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof’s oil on canvas work, “Fish in an Aquarium," which historians estimate was completed sometime between 1890 and 1924. Editor: Well, that's atmospheric! The darkness really swallows you up, doesn't it? Feels like peering into some primordial soup, waiting for the next evolutionary leap. Are those actually fish or ghosts of fish? Curator: Indeed, Dijsselhof plays with a tenebristic palette— employing stark contrasts of light and shadow. Notice how the darker hues envelop the scene. It's balanced however with lighter, almost fleeting strokes suggesting the movement of the fish themselves. This suggests Dijsselhof’s embrace of Impressionistic tenets, even while using the tradition of oil on canvas to document his study. Editor: They remind me of anxieties, little shimmering worries darting around the edges of consciousness, just out of reach. It’s like the artist captured the feeling of being slightly overwhelmed. Curator: The brushwork, as well, warrants our attention. Consider how the individual strokes coalesce, almost vibrating on the canvas. This optical mixing adds dynamism— a sensation of fluidity—integral to the subject matter. Dijsselhof appears to be working on a theme in many ways like Turner— who attempted to show that matter is, at base, always motion. Editor: True. I imagine Dijsselhof observing them in a tank— the artificial light catching their scales. But the painting isn't just observational. It feels like a reflection on how we box nature, you know? Put it on display, categorize it, distance ourselves. But there's still that untamed, shadowy quality there. Curator: We see that tension clearly. In sum, "Fish in an Aquarium" presents a nuanced, materially aware meditation on observation. Editor: An oil painting which also presents itself like a deep thought. Pretty profound.