Twee geabstraheerde gezichten en een man in kleermakerszit 1906 - 1945

Editor: Here we have "Twee geabstraheerde gezichten en een man in kleermakerszit," or "Two Abstracted Faces and a Man in Tailor Seat", a drawing in ink from between 1906 and 1945, currently at the Rijksmuseum. There's a raw simplicity here, a directness that’s quite disarming. It almost feels like a glimpse into the artist's sketchbook. What do you make of it? Curator: It's like peering into the artist's stream of consciousness, isn't it? These figures seem to emerge almost unconsciously from the page. Notice the lines: quick, economical, capturing an essence rather than a likeness. To me, it has something both archaic and strikingly modern about it. Editor: Archaic, how so? Curator: Well, in the way the seated figure evokes ancient contemplative poses, yet it’s rendered with such a fresh, modernist eye. Imagine the artist just toying with an idea, and this is the result. You can feel the artist grappling with how to convey depth, emotion, and form in the simplest way possible. Editor: It’s like they’re trying to strip away the excess, distilling these figures down to their core essence. Curator: Precisely! The absence of detail almost forces us, as viewers, to fill in the blanks, to actively participate in the creation of the image. How do *you* respond to that level of abstraction? Does it feel welcoming or alienating? Editor: I find it really invites my curiosity to imagine what could be there. Almost like I'm finishing the artist’s thoughts, and it leaves you wondering where the sketch would have taken you! Curator: Exactly! A peek at what could come. That to me is exciting.