Schoorsteenbetimmering met een pentekening van een roofvogel 1910 - 1927

Editor: Here we have "Chimney cladding with a pen drawing of a bird of prey," created sometime between 1910 and 1927 by E.G.C. Schubad. It’s mixed media including wood and is currently located in the Rijksmuseum. The combination of the clean, geometric woodwork and the somewhat obscured drawing feels really unique. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's a fascinating intersection of Art Nouveau and something more abstract, isn’t it? What strikes me immediately is the tension between the domestic and the wild. The chimney cladding is a very domestic object, something intended to bring comfort and warmth into the home. But then you have this stylized bird of prey. Birds have always represented a link between the terrestrial and the celestial and stand for spiritual transcendence and power, ideas that were deeply explored during this era, especially. The work exists in layers of thought - the natural world interpreted through the subjective. It invites the inhabitant to embrace the concept of inner vision, doesn't it? Editor: I never considered that aspect of bridging the earthly and the spiritual! I focused on the Art Nouveau lines, but what you are saying about vision and power really adds another dimension to it for me. Curator: Absolutely. And how do you feel the chosen materials contribute to its message? The smooth finish of the wood contrasts wonderfully with the dynamism of the drawing beneath. It invites a dialogue of texture and concept...perhaps a contrast to emphasize the layers of vision and meaning...what do you think? Editor: Yes, definitely. I appreciate the way it brings together seemingly disparate elements. The rigid geometric lines balance out the soft contours of the bird, or rather, what we imagine to be a bird based on its silhouette. The different surfaces do invite consideration to both design elements. Thanks so much. Curator: My pleasure! It’s rewarding to delve into the symbolism embedded within even everyday objects. There are many hidden messages in the visuals, always awaiting discovery and contemplation.