Zo als (...) zulks verkiest (dagboek, 26 juli) 1805 - 1808

Editor: Here we have "Zo als (...) zulks verkiest (dagboek, 26 juli)" created between 1805 and 1808 by Christiaan Andriessen, a drawing made with pen and ink. The interior feels almost staged, theatrical – what captures your attention when you look at this piece? Curator: Staged is a good word, actually! It brings to my mind the world of Romanticism – all carefully arranged sentiments and poses, a tableau of feeling! Doesn't it strike you as both intimate and a little… performed? There they sit around that little table, caught in this quiet drama. And yet, what's so very interesting to me is how commonplace it also feels. What do you make of the text accompanying the drawing? Editor: I didn't even notice there was text! I can't make it out well...does it give us clues about the relationships or the setting? Curator: It's Dutch from the early 19th century, almost untranslatable, adding to the image's mystique. What really pulls me in is the simplicity of the medium and the way Andriessen uses it to tell this rather mysterious story. Don't you feel like you're spying on a secret moment in time? It is a snapshot, but also an illustration... Editor: It definitely feels like a captured moment, a slice of life. The everyday portrayed in an idealized way? It's making me rethink what's considered Romantic art. Curator: Exactly! Everyday life infused with heightened emotions. Think about that the next time you're people-watching at a café – art is all around us! Editor: I will! Thanks, this has really shifted my perspective. Curator: My pleasure, every piece tells a story – you only have to listen with your eyes.