Papaverbloem en een gekko c. 1916 - 1945

Editor: Here we have "Papaverbloem en een gekko", Poppy flower and a gecko, a pencil and pen drawing on paper dating from between 1916 and 1945. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum collection. I’m struck by its simplicity – the raw quality of the sketch. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I immediately think about the materials used and their availability during that period. The paper's texture, the pencil and pen strokes, the very act of sketching – these reflect the immediate circumstances of its creation. Was it a quick study done in the field, perhaps? Or a more considered studio piece experimenting with form? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn't considered the resource aspect. It looks so fleeting, more like something done for personal practice rather than exhibition. Curator: Precisely! We can consider art not just for its aesthetic value, but as evidence of labour and material processes. How accessible were these materials? Was this artist privileged to have them, or did they repurpose discarded resources? And the choice of subject matter adds another layer; why these particular flora and fauna? Are they symbolic, or simply what was present and accessible to the artist's eye? Editor: It makes me think about all the invisible labor, acquiring the tools needed. What’s implied by those raw, rough sketches in comparison to the highly polished artworks by famous artists? Curator: Exactly. By questioning the means of production and consumption, we can challenge traditional notions of artistic value and hierarchy. Think about it – the sketch embodies an immediate transaction between artist, tool and surface. What can that tell us? Editor: So it becomes a sort of social document! Looking at it this way is so much more insightful. I initially saw just a simple sketch, but now I'm seeing evidence of so much more. Curator: Indeed. Art is so often about process as well as product. This has given me something new to consider as well.