Het dorp Katwijk aan zee 1736 - 1784

Editor: So, here we have Hendrik Spilman’s "Het dorp Katwijk aan zee," placing us somewhere between 1736 and 1784, judging by the date on the sketch. It’s done in ink, quite small…almost like a glimpse from a sketchbook. I find the sketch a bit unassuming and wonder if its beauty is only visible upon closer viewing, almost akin to spying into the past. What strikes you when you look at this, with its lovely simplicity? Curator: Unassuming? Perhaps. I’m taken by the quiet observation—it feels like catching a stolen moment. A traveler pausing on the dunes, perhaps, pulling out their sketchbook. The very act of sketching gives such a piece its peculiar intimate life. Notice how Spilman uses simple lines to suggest so much—the texture of the dunes, the sturdy solidity of the buildings? What do you make of those figures in the foreground? Editor: They seem like us, maybe? Two people looking at the scene! The date almost looks like it’s part of the same sitting... Is it a historical record, or more of a… well, a postcard from the past? Curator: Precisely! A little "wish you were here" note sent through time. The inscription in old Dutch adds another layer; it speaks to the artist's perception but welcomes us in. Perhaps Spilman felt this was not just a landscape but a personal memory worth recording with a little witty comment, like a travel diary. Doesn’t it also strike you how modern the viewpoint is—this almost feels like photojournalism, but rendered in ink and spirit? Editor: That's an interesting point! Seeing it as an early form of reportage reframes it, lending a freshness I hadn’t fully grasped. Curator: And perhaps that's the beauty of these "small" works, isn’t it? They draw us closer, prompting a more thoughtful contemplation and connecting to both the history and present day, with the artist acting as a tour guide. I will definitely remember to pack a sketchpad next time. Editor: Agreed. It’s shown me that even simple sketches hold remarkable depth and, if you just put the time into the observation, may bring you back in time.