Studies van een liggende kat 1876 - 1951

Editor: This drawing, "Studies van een liggende kat," by Theo Nieuwenhuis, was created sometime between 1876 and 1951, using pencil on paper. The image captures a casual, almost fleeting, moment. What strikes me most is the visible process - the way the artist worked through the forms. How do you approach interpreting this sketch? Curator: This drawing invites us to consider the role of materials and labor in artmaking. Notice the toned paper. It's a readily available and affordable material. The artist’s choice speaks to accessibility. He uses a pencil, again a simple tool, to explore the subject, emphasizing the act of seeing and recording. What kind of labor do you think informs this quick study? Editor: It seems more like a practice – observing and trying to understand the subject's form. Was the use of commonplace materials typical during that period, or do they imply something more intentional about Nieuwenhuis's approach to art? Curator: It’s a complicated point. Art at this time starts pushing away from rigid rules regarding materials. This type of sketch on paper emphasizes that artistic expression isn't necessarily tied to expensive supplies or formal training. The artist democratizes art creation by employing simple materials, thus emphasizing accessibility of creative activity within social practices. Where does this labor exist? Is this ‘work’? Editor: I guess it blurs the lines, doesn’t it? It prompts questions about the value we assign to different forms of making, considering this piece hangs in the Rijksmuseum. I appreciate how looking through a material lens gives new insight. Curator: Indeed, thinking about process and production offers us entry into art and how that art can and does affect our values around making.