Land met hek, bomen en schuur 1939 - 2009

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have Kees Stoop's work entitled "Land met hek, bomen en schuur," a drawing dated between 1939 and 2009. Editor: Immediately striking! There is an apparent melancholy that exudes from the landscape through its rather sombre palette. It also presents a very tangible realism with an almost stark rawness in its texture. Curator: That rawness seems fitting given the socio-political milieu Stoop lived in; during the Second World War, Stoop avoided conscription by becoming active in the resistance, and even forged passes for Jewish refugees. He would also portray his own wartime experiences. This landscape possesses a certain gravitas; it reminds us of art's role in recording history. Editor: The skeletal trees that dominate the composition reach skyward, but with an almost desperate quality, as if pleading or reaching beyond confinement. Curator: Yes, his command of charcoal creates such tangible texture, which speaks to Stoop's focus on everyday subjects rendered in a straightforward way, mirroring the everyday experiences of ordinary people, in the Netherlands and perhaps specifically in occupied Netherlands. Stoop documented those trying circumstances during and after wartime through drawings and paintings. Editor: Absolutely. The use of line and shade constructs the scene with a clarity and immediacy. It emphasizes, too, the stark contrast between light and dark, perhaps alluding to those desperate situations. But ultimately there is hope present because of the landscape's perseverance even within its melancholy. Curator: Exactly. It is this interplay of history and representation that solidifies the work's poignancy within the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: The structure and material components communicate those things eloquently, even powerfully, regardless of historical insight. Curator: Thank you for joining me today. I am certain our listeners gained new perspectives on Kees Stoop’s moving piece and Dutch history. Editor: A great piece, really, both thought-provoking and emotionally captivating. Thank you.