Molen bij Schiedam en een boerderij bij Delft 1888 - 1889

Editor: So, here we have "Molen bij Schiedam en een boerderij bij Delft," from 1888-1889, a pencil drawing. It's quite raw, unfinished almost, yet captures a serene pastoral essence, wouldn't you agree? What do you make of this juxtaposition of the industrial and the rural? Curator: The rapid strokes and notations capture more than just a visual scene; they are imbued with a yearning for a simpler time. Windmills, throughout history, represent human ingenuity harnessing natural forces, but they also echo cyclical agrarian life. Farms connect to notions of hearth and home, of sustenance, of nature tamed yet respected. Editor: So the contrast hints at tension between progress and tradition? Curator: Precisely. What do you think Shilling communicates by including both, on facing pages almost as a diptych? Editor: Maybe that these elements, even in contrast, are linked. Both scenes carry a quiet dignity; they’re not romanticized, but matter-of-fact. I guess the pairing acknowledges a cultural memory where both have a place. Curator: Yes! And pencil, think about that as a deliberate choice of media. Quick, immediate, unpretentious, easily erased – reflecting an experience grounded in a fleeting moment in time and perhaps the impermanence of it all. This very "unfinished" quality speaks volumes. Editor: That's a powerful point. I was focusing on the "what" of the images and completely missed the "why" of the medium. It highlights that memory isn’t fixed, and these images only capture a sketch of the truth. Curator: Indeed. Symbols layered upon symbols. Recognizing them deepens our connection to the past, and to our interpretation of what may happen in the future. Editor: Absolutely, this drawing feels richer with all those considerations. I will definitely remember that. Thanks!