Huizen in een heuvellandschap c. 1860 - 1865

Editor: Here we have Maria Vos’ "Houses in a Hilly Landscape," created circa 1860-1865. It's rendered in pencil and colored pencil, and it gives me this real sense of quiet solitude. What do you see in this piece, especially given its humble materials? Curator: It's precisely the humble nature of the materials that speaks volumes. Vos's choice of pencil and colored pencil – easily transportable and readily available – suggests a deliberate engagement with the accessibility of art production. We often overlook how art making, like any form of labor, relies on the tools at hand. Consider where Vos might have sourced her materials; how does this availability democratize artistic creation? Editor: That's fascinating! It never occurred to me to think about where an artist might have sourced simple materials like pencils. So, by focusing on the materials, are you suggesting that this work blurs the line between a formal "art piece" and a more utilitarian craft? Curator: Precisely! Look closely at the drawing; the texture achieved with pencil strokes mimics the roughness of the rural landscape and the construction of the buildings. Is she elevated or honoring this environment by carefully documenting it? Editor: It’s interesting how the materials are almost replicating the subjects. Thinking about this makes me appreciate it on a different level! I mean, I might've initially overlooked it because it’s 'just' pencil and paper, but that was a huge miss. Curator: Exactly. Think of all the preparatory sketches by male old masters made in humble materials compared to finished paintings! Why is Vos' drawing here at the Rijksmuseum different? Thinking about this reveals our own value judgements on both labor, gender, and the means of production itself!