Studies van een vis, met kleurnotities 1876 - 1924

Curator: At first glance, this drawing feels… well, like a half-remembered dream about fishing. It's loose, quick, all scribbles and suggestions, yet… something about it hooks you, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. There's an immediacy to these studies that speaks volumes about the artist's process. These “Studies van een vis, met kleurnotities,” made with graphite and ink on paper, likely created sometime between 1876 and 1924 by Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof, are currently housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. The artwork captures not just the likeness, but the essence of form. Curator: Exactly! It’s Dijsselhof thinking aloud, with lines, about a fish! Did he see its gills flutter? How its scales shimmered in the light? He’s got these color notes scrawled around... Imagine him, sitting by the water, notebook in hand, trying to lasso that slippery essence with his pen. Editor: And what about the ecological implications? Was this an act of reverence, studying and archiving the natural world around him? Or something else. Was Dijsselhof conscious about how human activity, specifically industry at this time, impacted these very species? Perhaps not directly depicted but there's a political charge to choosing these everyday subjects at the margins... Curator: Interesting. Maybe it’s not so simple. I can tell you for certain that to me it whispers of curiosity more than conservation, an intense appreciation, which, don't get me wrong, is always inherently connected. Editor: Right, though it also has a connection to art history more broadly, with echoes of the Ashcan School. Curator: Hmm, in its directness, certainly. There's no pretense here, no lofty allegories. This is just…fish. Dijsselhof loved exploring ornament, craft… he’s a fascinating character. He even designed furniture. I feel like he just needed to figure this fish out. Its 'fishness'. Editor: Ultimately, what resonates for me is its potential for broader discussions, not just about nature and preservation, but the act of seeing. What we choose to focus on and preserve... Curator: And the sheer joy of observing the world! These little marks, so unassuming, become a testament to that joy. Thanks Dijsselhof. I feel lighter having pondered on a simple fish!