Oudere vrouw leest een brief before 1946

Curator: Eddy de Smet created this piece, "Oudere vrouw leest een brief" or "Older woman reading a letter," before 1946, using pen and ink. It has the hallmarks of a genre painting. What springs to mind when you first see it? Editor: Immediately? It’s the tulips, so stark and bold. And the older woman's glasses perched on her nose, like she's judging the news... or the letter is scandalous. Curator: Let's delve into the context of its creation. The use of pen and ink in this "cartoon carciture" and "cartoon style" drawing, offers insight into De Smet's approach to both artistic creation and accessible illustration. How does the chosen medium reflect the social function of the piece, perhaps in newspapers or magazines of the time? Editor: It's interesting you mention function, because those fluid, almost casual ink lines do give it a mass-produced feel. And the subject – an ordinary woman, an everyday moment – it’s as if de Smet democratizes portraiture, right? Brings it down to earth and makes it fun. What do you think of the interplay between the flat planes of color and the densely worked areas of pure pen? Curator: I think that very contrast enhances the sense of both domesticity and humor you alluded to. Note, for instance, the details of the tablecloth and the pattern of her jacket, contrasted with the relatively sparse background treatment, which brings the focus immediately back to the figure and what must surely be exciting or amusing written contents. What does the artist’s playful sketchiness evoke for you? Editor: A memory, actually! My grandmother, those little moments of intense focus amidst daily life. The teacup, the tulips – everything is both familiar and slightly absurd, almost like a dream. And speaking of playfulness, is the cartoonist poking fun at the "personal sketchbook" qualities of their cartoon creation here, the everyday lives of these ladies? Curator: Perhaps. The piece prompts reflection on the themes of domesticity, and news dissemination in the mid-20th century. Editor: Absolutely, and I love that such a simple medium and an everyday subject can still spark so many narratives in the viewer's mind! Curator: I find the social and material processes on display just fascinating. Thanks for helping me look beyond that, to its intimate charm.