Kikker 1887 - 1924

Curator: Oh, my! What a quirky character! He looks like he’s about to tell me a secret or maybe judge my fashion sense. Editor: That's Julie de Graag's "Kikker," dating roughly between 1887 and 1924. It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. De Graag worked across media but was incredibly skilled at prints, drawings, and graphic art. Curator: Printmaking… Right. That’s why those dark spots on his back are so…stark. Is it a linocut? Woodcut? I am seeing graphic contrasts everywhere! It feels very... of its time, in the best way. Editor: It is indeed a linocut print, you've got a sharp eye. It has elements of woodcut techniques too, the overall construction gives me strong Japonisme vibes, which was super trendy during that period, of course. This seemingly simple depiction ties into deeper currents. The frog as symbol spans cultures... fertility, transformation, adaptability... Curator: Yes! It's interesting you say that because my immediate thought jumps to fairytales! This isn't just some amphibian study. It feels like a prince waiting for a kiss, cursed in that very cartoon-y form, doomed. This kind of visual language persists even in today's animated shows, right? Editor: Absolutely. Frogs are loaded with symbolism and they appear across a variety of folklores. Here the humor, coupled with a precise style, hints at darker undercurrents perhaps, beyond simple fairy tale expectations. I do believe the artist is poking fun at established artistic conventions and maybe… also questioning our understanding of 'beauty'. Curator: Beauty through subversion! This frog might as well be staring into my soul! I initially perceived just a playful image, but wow… looking at those stark contrasts and that piercing stare... It really makes me contemplate broader narratives and this piece does have lasting resonance. Editor: De Graag’s economy of line delivers an entire story and yeah, lasting relevance—like visual haiku. I appreciate the prompt toward multiple levels of interpretation it offers, leaving viewers space to build the image through their own experiences.