Gezicht op Dordrecht met de toren van de Grote Kerk 1907

Editor: So, here we have Alexander Shilling’s 1907 pencil drawing, “Gezicht op Dordrecht met de toren van de Grote Kerk”—View of Dordrecht with the tower of the Great Church. It feels like a quiet moment, captured in a simple sketch. What stands out to you when you look at this piece? Curator: What I see first is the ghost of a moment. A fleeting impression, you know? Shilling’s not trying to give us photo-realism. He’s handing us his memory of the place, the feeling of it, on a day probably not too different from any other. The lines are delicate, almost tentative. It reminds me of capturing snippets of dreams before they vanish. It's interesting how he positions the trees; what do they say to you? Editor: I guess they frame the view, almost like curtains on a stage. But the cathedral isn’t really “on stage,” is it? It's just *there,* part of the everyday scene. Curator: Exactly! And the sketch quality enhances that, doesn’t it? This wasn’t intended as a grand statement, just a page ripped from a sketchbook, documenting an unassuming moment in time. What do you feel it is saying to *you*? Editor: That's beautiful. It makes me think about the value in the ordinary, you know? Finding beauty not in the spectacular, but in the simple act of observing and recording what's around you. I love how immediate the work is because it feels accessible; Shilling felt free to be present. Curator: I agree. There’s a vulnerability, an honesty, in leaving it so raw, so unfinished. We aren't seeing the *complete* truth but getting an authentic and subjective memory that we are experiencing with him. Editor: Well, now I am off to buy a sketch book and record all *my* fleeting impressions. Thank you for that perspective! Curator: Go capture your moments, let the spirit of Shilling travel with you!