Vlinder en libelle 1883

Curator: This etching, entitled "Vlinder en libelle", which translates to "Butterfly and Dragonfly", was created by Félix Hilaire Buhot around 1883. You can find it on display here at the Rijksmuseum. What is your immediate response to this subtle image? Editor: My initial reaction is one of tranquility, actually. The muted tones and delicate lines create a serene little microcosm. It almost feels like a stolen glance into a quiet corner of the natural world, somehow capturing both freedom and fragility in one frame. Curator: Buhot was really quite interested in liminal spaces. In a symbolic context, both butterflies and dragonflies frequently represent transformation, rebirth, and change—metamorphosis, if you will. Given the socio-political landscape of the late 19th century, perhaps the artist meant this as a kind of comment? Editor: I think it is almost certainly linked. We are talking about the rise of industrialization, shifts in class structure and profound changes in societal norms. So seeing these traditionally rural motifs certainly raises a tension. But Buhot never openly made comments about the state, and in fact worked with very rich patrons. Perhaps this piece is meant to be both beautiful, and yet innocuous at the same time. Curator: His technique does feel very aligned to that reading. The texture almost vibrates; there’s an ephemerality achieved through the medium itself. The slight imperfections highlight process; maybe these are intentional flaws that reflect how things are never fully in control? Editor: That's fascinating, the potential to see this artwork in a multitude of ways makes it such a special work to engage with. Curator: Indeed. And to experience Buhot’s ability to evoke such reflection, that only makes this piece an ongoing meditation. Editor: Right, well on that note, perhaps we ought to give way for future visitors. Thanks so much!