Roeiboot met opvarenden op het IJ 1861 - 1935

Editor: This is "Roeiboot met opvarenden op het IJ," which translates to "Rowboat with Passengers on the IJ," dating sometime between 1861 and 1935. It’s a print, etching, and drawing on paper with ink. What strikes me is the hazy quality, almost dreamlike. The rowboat seems so small against the backdrop of the larger buildings. What catches your eye? Curator: That hazy quality you're picking up on... It's more than just an aesthetic choice. The IJ was the main waterway in Amsterdam. A bustling, working river mouth, and etching captures the feel of the constant activity – the salty air, the slightly obscured views. It whispers to me of industry, but also of quiet journeys, right? Tell me, what do you think they are doing? A pleasure cruise, or are they off to work? Editor: Hmm, that's a good question! I hadn't really thought about their purpose. I was so caught up in the aesthetic that I didn't think too hard about the people. Given what you've said about the area being busy and industrial, I imagine they might be travelling for work, ferrying themselves to another part of the docks? Curator: I like your thinking! Look at the figures... How would you describe them? Can you infer their social class? This is *genre painting* after all! Editor: Okay, well they're all wearing hats, which could suggest some level of formality, or at least a desire to appear presentable. So, perhaps they aren't from the absolute bottom rung of society. But at the same time, it’s just a quick sketch of working people on the water, in what appears to be, not luxury. They don’t look wealthy. Curator: Precisely. See how much narrative the artist has packed into this tiny scene? It makes you wonder about their individual lives. And, that's the magic of realism when its working well; that little slice of imagined reality! Editor: I suppose it's about everyday life captured on the IJ. It definitely provides food for thought; that’s an angle that would not have immediately come to mind. Thank you!