Volendam Girl in Costume 1898

Emil Orlik made this pastel drawing of a Volendam Girl around 1898. Looking closely, you can see the individual strokes that build up the image; especially in the sitter's clothing, there is an almost woven effect, as though Orlik is emulating the work of a textile artist. Indeed, the textures are so pronounced here, that we can understand it in relation to the Arts and Crafts movement, which was in full swing when this work was made. In fact, Orlik was deeply interested in craft traditions; he travelled extensively and was fascinated by printmaking, and the handmade, across different cultures. Here, he treats pastel not just as a means of capturing the image of this girl, but as a means of understanding her. Her costume is the product of many hours of work – spinning, weaving, sewing – and Orlik’s drawing implicitly acknowledges that labour. It prompts us to see the value of both sitter and artist, and to think about the many forms of making that enrich our world.