Adriaan van Dijk, 1623 1850 - 1870

Curator: This drawing, entitled "Adriaan van Dijk, 1623," is attributed to J.C. Wendel, and was likely created sometime between 1850 and 1870. It’s currently part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: It strikes me as a quick, almost whimsical character study. The light pencil work gives it a certain…airiness. Almost like catching a fleeting thought. Curator: Indeed. The medium, just pencil on paper, suggests a sketch—perhaps from a larger sketchbook or for an unrealized work. Note the linear quality defining the figure. Editor: Precisely. The lines are quite economical. We get the sense of his clothing, his stance, and even the grapes in his hand without excessive detail. There’s a focus on contour, wouldn't you agree? How does the socio-political context of the Netherlands at that time feed into what we know of portraiture? Curator: This drawing shows little in the way of academic formality. It’s not strictly a portrait of the type commissioned to affirm status or celebrate wealth, but is still interesting within the genre, especially when contextualized as an object consumed within the commercial art market. There's an element of Realism in the sense of the everyday, even if the man isn't a specific person but more like a fictional model in an anecdote. Editor: Perhaps. The way light plays on the form certainly indicates a desire for fidelity. Although the light source is not immediately clear, and this lends itself well to its mood. Tell me more, if you will, about what you consider "anecdotal" and how that relates to the wider canon. Curator: It appears as if it would accompany the other drawings in a sketchbook: quick, suggestive images in which the artist lets their creative impulses run wild without restraint, a story yet to be formed on paper. As a tool for art practices at the time, it's indicative of idea generation rather than strict representation. Editor: I concur with your thoughts on creative expression and free art practice. It offers insight into the creative process itself, something of value today. Curator: Yes, a look at the past—that gives perspective. Editor: Agreed. A glimpse into the sketchbook also lets us look at new shapes for creative output.