Riet in het water 1872 - 1939

Editor: So, this drawing, "Riet in het water," or "Reeds in the Water," is by Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap, sometime between 1872 and 1939. It's a pencil drawing, and it strikes me as both serene and a bit melancholy, like a memory fading at the edges. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It whispers of something ancient, doesn't it? Reeds themselves are symbols. Throughout different cultures, they can represent resilience, adaptation, and the connection between the earthly and the spiritual realms, growing as they do between water and sky. The water element reinforces these symbols of continuous becoming, a liminal space reflecting forms, light and darkness. What emotional impact do the stark tonal contrasts evoke in you? Editor: I think they emphasize the transience. Everything feels ephemeral, like it could disappear with a breath. Curator: Precisely. That's partly due to the medium itself. Pencil, particularly in landscape drawing, can imply immediacy. Think of plein air sketching; capturing a fleeting moment. And the very directness evokes nature spirits, too. Editor: I hadn't thought about the quickness of the medium adding to that feeling. Are there other symbols I’m missing? Curator: Consider the reeds' form, reaching upwards. Often vertical lines represent aspiration, a desire to transcend. Then, observe how they are also mirrored downwards in the water's surface: the conscious ambition balanced with its shadow. Is that balance convincing, though, or are the reeds leaning towards a heavy, grounded view? Editor: I guess it does seem like there's some heaviness there, the darkness weighing down the lightness. I learned a lot about considering the subconscious associations of forms here. Curator: Yes, and how Schaap uses the symbology of common forms in ways that create personal emotional effect. Thank you for lending your insightful observations and your receptivity!