Aquarium met rots, vis en waterplanten 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof created this pencil drawing, "Aquarium met rots, vis en waterplanten," which translates to "Aquarium with rock, fish and aquatic plants," at an unknown date. Dijsselhof, an artist of the Dutch Art Nouveau, also known as Nieuwe Kunst movement, lived during a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization, which led to a renewed interest in nature and craftsmanship. This drawing invites us to consider how nature is framed and contained, both literally within the glass of the aquarium and metaphorically within the artistic gaze. The aquarium, a constructed ecosystem, reflects a human desire to control and curate the natural world. The sketch-like quality lends the piece an ephemeral feel, as though capturing a fleeting moment in the life of this enclosed environment. Dijsselhof's interest in depicting aquariums may reflect a broader cultural fascination with domesticating nature and creating controlled environments, a practice that raises questions about humanity's relationship with the natural world and our role within it. What does it mean to capture and display a slice of nature?