Kippen 1834 - 1906

Curator: Look at this delightful page, "Kippen," torn straight from Maria Vos’ sketchbook. This intimate peek into the artist’s creative process dates back to between 1834 and 1906 and currently resides here at the Rijksmuseum. What leaps out at you? Editor: It feels incredibly personal, almost like a secret whispered on paper. There's a scattering of bird heads, chickens maybe? Some are barely there, just ghosts of ideas, while others are more fully formed. I sense a flurry of thought captured in these lines. Curator: Precisely! Vos was known for her detailed still lifes, so to see this looseness, this exploration of form and texture in a preliminary study, offers such insight. Notice how she uses hatching and cross-hatching to define the light and shadow on the more developed heads, especially that one with the intense gaze. Editor: The varying levels of finish are so compelling. It speaks to the sheer act of looking, of trying to capture something fleeting. It feels less about perfection and more about the raw energy of observation. Is there anything to suggest how these sketches figured into her final work? Curator: Not directly in a finished piece, no. However, it reveals so much about her meticulous approach to the natural world. These aren’t just chickens; they’re studies in anatomy, in the play of light on feathers, even in character. The sketchbook itself acts as a space of experimentation free from the pressure of exhibition. Think of it as her laboratory. Editor: Absolutely. Knowing the social constraints placed upon female artists of the period, especially within formal institutions, it is perhaps liberating and not unexpected that her sketchbook becomes a crucial space for experimentation. Curator: Indeed, sketchbooks became places for artists to evade judgement. Places that provided intimate insights into technique but more broadly offer evidence to how certain demographics navigated public role of art. Editor: Thinking about her work in this space helps unlock new appreciation for the level of effort involved. It offers context not previously considered. Curator: Precisely, an authentic glimpse behind the scenes. A glimpse into the daily craft involved when generating a master piece!