Onbekend voorwerp c. 1828 - 1897

Curator: Let's consider this intriguing sketch, "Onbekend voorwerp" – Unknown Object – created sometime between 1828 and 1897 by Adrianus Eversen. It appears to be pencil on paper. What are your first thoughts? Editor: Wonky, that's the first word that pops into my head. And honest. It has the immediacy of someone just grabbing a pencil and trying to figure something out on the page. Sort of like a visual brainstorm, only for a... ladder, I think? Curator: A ladder indeed. Although, notice the unusual curvature at the top. Ladders, throughout history, often symbolize ascent, ambition, and connection to the divine, like Jacob's ladder in the Bible. But this curve almost suggests a deliberate interruption, a bending of that upward striving. It seems less about practical use and more about...questioning the climb? Editor: Maybe. Or maybe Eversen was just having a heck of a time drawing a straight line! I'm just kidding…mostly. But I do get what you're saying. It’s definitely got that 'bent toward something else' kind of vibe, as opposed to merely being a functional ladder. Curator: There is this persistent ambiguity. Notice the delicate, almost hesitant lines. The sketchy quality suggests impermanence, a fleeting thought captured on paper. Ladders also represent hierarchies, the social ladder, etc. Editor: Right, the power structures… all the fun stuff. But with that slight tilt, all these implied heavier symbols sort of collapse. I love that it seems so off-the-cuff, that it almost mocks itself, the more seriously you attempt to approach the thing it appears to resemble. I'd love to see more of his sketchbooks. What a world! Curator: Absolutely. This work is far more intriguing due to its open-ended nature, which offers the potential for different readings. These lines reveal so much about the artist's creative processes. Editor: It’s a sweet and thoughtful reminder not to take all aspirations too seriously!