Bomen en struikgewas 1874 - 1876

Curator: There’s a hush about this one. I get lost in the whispers of the graphite, you know? Editor: It certainly evokes a sense of tranquility. This pencil drawing, dating from 1874-1876, is entitled "Bomen en struikgewas," which translates to "Trees and shrubs". It’s the work of Willem Cornelis Rip. I find it so evocative of the period's interest in naturalism, and in the way landscape informs identity. Curator: "Identity" feels right. See how those branches reach out, like tentative fingers exploring the air? There’s a loneliness, too, a self-contained world existing on a single page. It makes me wonder what kind of day it was when he captured this—was it a balm for a troubled mind? Editor: I imagine so. Consider the social context—the industrial revolution reshaping landscapes, anxieties about nature giving way to concrete and steel. Rip, by documenting these 'Trees and Shrubs', potentially makes a quiet but forceful statement about preserving what's disappearing. It turns the sketch into more than just a study; it becomes an act of environmental witness. Curator: It's as if the pencil strokes themselves are trying to hold onto something fleeting. You can almost feel the rough texture of the bark, even through the paper. I love how imperfect it is— the unfinished edges, the scribbled undergrowth. There's no idealised beauty here, just a raw, intimate encounter. Editor: The deliberate choice of such a common scene lends it a wider appeal, almost democratic in its selection. Landscape paintings have always been implicated in social structures of power; here, the accessibility of a drawing breaks down such symbolic restrictions of owning land. Curator: Almost like saying, ‘Look, beauty doesn't belong to estates or landowners; it is everyone's birthright in a small grove of trees.’ It speaks of the potential for connection, if only one is willing to look close. Editor: Exactly. Well, on that reflective note, perhaps our listeners will leave with fresh eyes for their surroundings too. Curator: Hopefully with an extra nudge of wonder, ready to embrace the magic hidden in the ordinary.