Windmolen 1894 - 1913

Editor: This is "Windmolen", a monochrome etching made sometime between 1894 and 1913, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It's quite a detailed landscape, and what strikes me first is how imposing the windmill appears in this otherwise tranquil setting. What’s your interpretation? Curator: Well, considering the time it was made, this etching speaks to the changing social landscape of the Netherlands. Windmills, once vital for the Dutch economy and identity, were slowly becoming relics. It becomes a poignant commentary on industrial progress and its impact on traditional ways of life. Do you see how the artist emphasizes the solitary nature of the windmill? Editor: Yes, it definitely stands alone, but also, this is "realism". Should it depict actual progress or actual loss? Curator: Realism as a movement aimed to depict subjects without romanticism or idealism, revealing the realities of everyday life, including the human consequences of societal changes. Do you think the artist is merely representing a windmill, or do you see something more profound in its representation? Editor: Now that you mention it, the windmill isn’t gleaming or powerful; it looks worn, even melancholic. Perhaps it represents not just a changing landscape but also a sense of loss, the slow passing of an era. Curator: Exactly. And this ties into the role of art in public consciousness. Artists often act as silent witnesses, reflecting on and critiquing societal shifts. What do you take away from this piece, thinking about its place in history? Editor: I guess I hadn’t thought about the artist’s role as social commentator, only as an observer. Now I understand it's not just a windmill, but also about change. Curator: Precisely! It is about how cultural relics and technologies that we interact with define who we are and leave a historical mark that is more than functional.