Studie 1919

This is Reijer Stolk's "Studie", an undated sketch now held in the Rijksmuseum. Reijer Stolk lived through both World Wars and died in 1945, the year that the Second World War ended. There is an unmistakable vulnerability and tension in this work, which resonate with the time it was made. The sketch shows a figure in a confined setting, perhaps suggesting themes of restriction and introspection. During wartime, themes of isolation, identity, and resilience are heightened. The simple lines of the drawing only augment the deep well of emotion which is available to us when viewing this piece. Although only a sketch, Stolk captures a sense of humanity through a simple rendering of form which is particularly affecting. The viewer may consider what freedoms were available to the artist and the circumstances which he was working under. The piece makes us consider the everyday lives affected by the war.