Twee vrouwen in een koets 1852 - 1859

Cornelis Springer created this watercolor sketch, "Twee vrouwen in een koets," or "Two Women in a Carriage," using paper, graphite, and watercolor. Springer, celebrated for his architectural paintings, also used his skills to depict the social life of 19th-century Netherlands. Notice how the application of watercolor gives a translucent effect to the image, adding to the impression of a fleeting moment captured in time. The graphite under-drawing provides the underlying structure, defining the forms and spatial relationships within the composition. Consider the labor embedded in the production of a carriage, the costumes of the figures, and the very paper and pigments used to create the sketch. From the skilled woodworkers crafting the carriage to the laborers mining the materials for pigments, and even the artist himself, this modest artwork is tied to broader networks of labor, production, and consumption. By looking closely at the materials and processes behind this seemingly simple sketch, we gain a richer appreciation of the social and economic context in which it was created.