De herders c. 1902

"De Herders" was made by E. Phosty, but the date is unknown. Look at the way it’s been put together, like a stage set, with the characters arranged in separate scenes. The palette is muted, washed out, the sort of coloring you get in old books. Look at the guy in the middle ground, he’s got a scythe and is ready to strike. The figure seems to be copied from another source, and the lines around him are heavy and dark, as if he was stuck on. It looks like the artist has used the tools they had to hand, the effect is both naive and strangely charming. The odd perspective adds to this charm. This kind of composition reminds me of the work of Henri Rousseau, whose figures are also stiff and a little awkward. Art is about conversation, the dialogue between different minds across time. It’s not about perfection, but about embracing the weirdness of it all.