A Barn Interior with Two Goats c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Cornelis Saftleven's "A Barn Interior with Two Goats," a pen and brown ink drawing. It feels…rustic, almost forgotten. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's the quiet details, isn't it? Saftleven wasn't just sketching a barn; he was capturing a moment, a feeling of the Dutch countryside. Look at the light filtering through the rough-hewn timbers! It almost makes you want to smell the hay. Editor: Definitely! It’s such a contrast to the grand landscapes we usually associate with that era. Curator: Exactly! He found beauty in the everyday. It’s a gentle reminder to appreciate the simple things, the quiet corners. Don’t you think? Editor: I do. I’ll definitely be looking at barns differently from now on.