Schetsen 1870 - 1880

Curator: I'd like to draw your attention to "Schetsen," or "Sketches," by Johannes Tavenraat, created between 1870 and 1880. This drawing, a combination of ink and pencil, is currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The immediacy is what strikes me. The figures are so quickly rendered, caught in moments of rest and contemplation, almost like snippets from a memory. I love how spare it is. Curator: It's fascinating how Tavenraat uses these sketches, studies of figures and landscapes, as a sort of visual shorthand. Consider the man with the hat, leaning forward – the posture itself conveys a weariness, echoed across other figures depicted in various states of repose. It resonates with archetypal figures like a traveler pausing on his long journey, or a vagabond pondering their circumstances. Editor: I'm particularly drawn to the paper itself, see those rows of numbers bleeding through? It reveals a sort of hidden labour, what seems to be perhaps accounting notes or other utilitarian scripts underscoring and embedded with the delicate sketching. The contrast creates a poignant commentary on art being interwoven into the everyday work. It challenges this concept of high art vs everyday life. Curator: Precisely! These under-drawings, seemingly unrelated, remind us that images exist in a constant dialogue with their substrate, with the supports that enable them, with their cultural setting, influencing how meaning accrues to them. The layering almost acts like a palimpsest, recording earlier narratives, imbuing them within the artistic intention of this work. Editor: Yes! The paper becomes a metaphor. Not just a surface, but a thing of labour itself! Think of the sourcing, processing, production. Someone made that paper, perhaps counting numbers themselves. Curator: I see what you're saying! What’s captured isn’t just a figure or a landscape, it’s a layered commentary on material culture and society! It serves as a wonderful example of Tavenraat's deft hand and eye, and makes us think about not only the subject matter of his drawings, but also their hidden dimensions. Editor: Definitely! After considering its story, material composition, and technique, this piece transcends just a sketchbook; it emerges as a testament to daily life.