Schets van drie vissen 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this sketch of three fish with a graphite pencil. It resides today in the Rijksmuseum. The late 19th century saw a growing interest in the natural world among artists, designers, and architects. This stemmed from the Arts and Crafts movement and the larger cultural phenomenon of a renewed appreciation for local materials, skills, and traditions. Dijsselhof was part of a circle of Dutch artists associated with Art Nouveau. They reacted against the industrialized world by looking to the decorative possibilities of nature. Dijsselhof's drawing can be seen as part of this wider movement to create a "total work of art," where everything from furniture to buildings was designed in a unified style. This involved not only the artist's creative vision, but also the support of institutions that commissioned and displayed their work. These institutions played a key role in shaping the public's perception of the value and meaning of this art. To better understand this piece, one could research exhibition catalogs and archives from the period. This will help us understand the social and institutional contexts in which artists like Dijsselhof operated.