Kikkers 1865 - 1913

Curator: We’re standing now before Bramine Hubrecht's drawing, "Kikkers," likely created between 1865 and 1913. The Rijksmuseum houses this charming piece, rendered in pencil. Editor: Oh, this feels like a secret peek into someone’s playful thoughts. I can almost hear the quiet scratching of the pencil, the artist sort of chasing after the exact curve of a frog's belly or the goofy angle of its legs. Curator: Exactly! These aren’t just frogs; they're studies of form, sketched with an eye toward capturing the essence of “frog-ness.” Looking at this piece within a historical context, consider the emerging fields of zoology and naturalism at the time. Artists were beginning to meticulously observe and document the natural world. Hubrecht’s drawing reflects that, even if playfully. Editor: I love that you bring up zoology. It definitely strikes me as observational, but with this very free and whimsical quality. I imagine Hubrecht observing these frogs, then sort of channeling them through her own artistic lens, like a comedic interpretive dance. You can sense that there's a genuine tenderness here. Curator: Absolutely. It also intersects with art’s broader role in social discourse. Animals were—and are—often stand-ins for human characteristics, prompting reflections on our own behavior and society. There’s an argument to be made that Hubrecht's frogs, even as mere sketches, offer commentary, perhaps even critique, about human nature itself. What is she inviting us to reflect upon in seeing these studies? Editor: Hmm, well, I guess if you push me...maybe she is subtly winking at the puffed-up importance we place on ourselves. These little guys just *are*. Maybe there’s a silent lesson there somewhere for us lofty humans. Plus, there's a wonderful immediacy about drawings. Curator: Immediacy is spot-on. This is such a wonderful piece, as it holds both historical context and spontaneous whimsy. Editor: Totally! I am already envisioning all sorts of stories that star these amphibian characters. It reminds me to be both observant and a little ridiculous.