Liggend meisje 1834 - 1911

Curator: This pencil drawing, "Liggend meisje," or "Reclining Girl," is attributed to Jozef Israëls and likely dates between 1834 and 1911. The piece resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: There’s something very immediate about this, almost voyeuristic. The sketchy lines, the unfinished feel – it’s intimate and gives the impression of catching a private moment. Curator: That immediacy certainly speaks to its nature as a drawing. Genre painting was coming into its own at the time. So you see more intimate portrayals of everyday people entering the public sphere. The sketch highlights Israëls’ artistic process in observing ordinary moments of private life. Editor: Absolutely. The recurring image of a girl at rest...It makes me wonder about sleep and vulnerability and societal expectation of woman to rest as well as other responsibilities of labor or family. Her vulnerability is interesting. Curator: We do see a clear turn towards Realism here, focusing on common folk rather than romanticized figures. It presents a rather new democratization of art when the domestic realities of the common person enters art discourse. The symbolism is embedded not in grand gestures, but in the simplicity of ordinary moments. Editor: That resonates. Consider how sleep motifs and symbolism shift with culture. In some eras, the act of repose carried negative connotations – sloth, spiritual stagnation. Yet, here, even in this preliminary sketch, there’s a certain dignity, isn't it? Or could it also portray the exhaustion caused by women’s domestic labors? Curator: It definitely prompts consideration on the life of girls during Israëls' time. Its power lies in depicting such simple realities. Its directness speaks to shifts in what constituted "worthy" subjects for art and art discourse. Editor: The more I consider the way those lines fail to coalesce into a final image, it lends that intimate glimpse you spoke about with even more importance. It speaks volumes beyond a traditional portrait of leisure or the male gaze of such images from other artworks.. Thank you for pointing those subtle details of Israels artwork to my attention, they brought a deeper sense to the meaning of this work. Curator: A deeper appreciation indeed. It showcases how artistic styles were shifting and highlighting, the lives and status of ordinary individuals at that historical time.