Figuren 1849 - 1917

Curator: Today, we are looking at Figuren, a pencil sketch by Matthijs Maris, dating from 1849 to 1917, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Wow, what strikes me first is how ephemeral it feels. Like these figures are ghosts caught in a moment. It is all very wispy. Curator: The work is definitely an exercise in capturing form, employing what we can understand as impressionistic tendencies, despite being predominantly considered part of academic art practice. Notice the layering of pencil strokes that suggests a fleeting impression, avoiding distinct lines. The horse in particular lacks a firm outline, presenting its raw structure rather than details. Editor: Absolutely. I can almost hear the scratch of the pencil on paper, you know? It makes me wonder about Maris’ process. Was he trying to catch something quick, like a feeling passing by? And what do the smudges suggest? There's this raw quality; he almost erases as he draws. What effect does that generate? Curator: Precisely. Maris deliberately plays with tonal contrasts. He accentuates the forms of these figures using different degrees of pencil pressure. He is more invested in rendering light and shadow in an interpretive manner that does not necessarily align with a singular, clear source. Editor: Yes! And in the darker figure, there’s something spectral—like they're dissolving into shadow. Perhaps they are figures of memory rather than present day people. It is as though Maris wanted us to look at what he *almost* saw rather than what he meticulously observed. Curator: Indeed, your reading touches upon something essential: this drawing captures a subjective encounter, revealing the process of observation rather than claiming objective reality. The materiality, the starkness of the graphite on paper, is what gives this work its emotive power. Editor: Right! It is more about suggestion and atmosphere. You can practically feel the artist pondering over forms, searching for the story he is trying to uncover. I leave feeling more attuned to these shadows than any concrete object they reveal. Curator: It offers us the space to project meaning, allowing for personal associations. Thank you for enriching our perception of Figuren, seeing beyond mere outlines and more than a study of mere lines, tones, or volumes.