Drie ramskoppen 1820 - 1833

Editor: So here we have “Three Rams’ Heads,” a pencil drawing made sometime between 1820 and 1833, housed at the Rijksmuseum. It's… well, it's exactly what it says it is! But those eyes... the bottom one especially! What is *up* with that stare? What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, yes! You know, sometimes the most seemingly straightforward subjects reveal unexpected depths. Those eyes – particularly in the bottom ram – they possess an almost unsettling intensity, don't they? To me, they whisper of vulnerability, even fear, juxtaposed against the raw power implied by those magnificent horns. Do you see the subtle differences in how each head is rendered? Editor: Now that you mention it, yeah! One looks almost regal, the other thoughtful... the bottom one, I guess, is the most…*present*? It feels like it's staring right *through* me. Curator: Precisely! Think about it – during this period, there was a burgeoning interest in scientific classification, and a certain romanticism of rural life. This drawing, while ostensibly a study of animal anatomy, taps into those undercurrents. There's a real attempt here to capture not just the physical form, but perhaps a hint of the animal's inner life. Maybe the artist wasn't so different from those 'scientific' painters whose ambition it was to 'capture' birdsongs? Did you happen to notice that small number on the top right corner of the artwork? Editor: Huh, no, I missed that. So, it's not *just* art, it's kind of a document, too? Curator: It walks that line beautifully, doesn't it? It's a reminder that even the most ‘objective’ artistic endeavors are always filtered through a human lens. Even drawings of livestock can stir something primal in us! Editor: I definitely see that now. Before, I just saw "sheep," but now... Wow, those *eyes*! It’s less an image of rams, and more about an actual ram. That intense presence almost made me jump when I first saw it. Curator: Well put. The artist really gave each of them its own specific essence. That essence gives each ram a presence, each with its own individual, specific personality and perspective on us.