Drie meisjes kijkend in een prentenboek (Das Bilderbuch) 1860

Editor: Here we have "Drie meisjes kijkend in een prentenboek (Das Bilderbuch)"—or, "Three Girls Looking at a Picture Book"—created around 1860 by Hugo Bürkner. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. I find it evokes such a peaceful, quiet moment, all soft lines and muted colors. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Quietude, definitely, and a kind of sweet nostalgia. But it's also about the *act* of looking, isn't it? Bürkner is showing us the intimacy of shared storytelling, that cozy bubble where reality blurs with imagination. Notice how the light catches the pages—the literal window into another world. And what's fascinating is what *isn't* shown, the specific content of the books; they’re universal portals. Makes you wonder what stories they're inventing, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. The open-endedness is part of the charm, I think. It feels less about a specific narrative and more about the *experience* of being a child, lost in a book with loved ones. All of their discarded dolls lying around adds to the authentic touch, too. Curator: Precisely! The details breathe life into it. The slightly worn dolls scattered around are almost characters themselves. It's a masterclass in subtle storytelling. It feels staged, but believable – Bürkner must’ve been looking for something innocent. Where does this rank amongst illustrations to you? Editor: Well, the accessibility makes it rather impactful as a starting point for children engaging with visual art, in my humble opinion. Definitely sparked new ways of seeing storytelling in art for me! Curator: And for me, it reconfirms the power of capturing fleeting, everyday moments. Something to strive for in my work, without a doubt. Thanks for sharing.