Vrouw in bontkraag en muts 1873 - 1932

Curator: I'm struck by the sketch-like quality and the softness of light here. Editor: Indeed. What we're looking at is "Vrouw in bontkraag en muts", or "Woman in Fur Collar and Hat" by Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff, created sometime between 1873 and 1932. It's a watercolor held here at the Rijksmuseum. The materials used have allowed for that particular aesthetic, quite ethereal and fleeting. Curator: That fur collar… it feels almost tribal in its ornamentation, yet the overall effect is softened by those watercolor washes. Is the fur, meant to be read as luxurious, taking on other signifiers? Editor: Steenhoff’s work often featured an interplay between high society portraiture and looser impressionistic techniques. Here, the blurring of precise form with quick strokes challenges the traditional symbolism associated with fur—usually status and wealth. We are instead asked to consider, perhaps, the conditions of its production and the culture of its consumption. The muts too suggests a focus on crafted details and textiles. Curator: The way the hat's plume reaches upward reminds me of feathered headdresses used in ceremonial contexts across different cultures—it certainly elevates the subject, but I am hesitant to attribute that meaning to Steenhoff. I wonder if this echoes anything significant within Dutch cultural memory. Or Dutch colonial pursuits, perhaps. Editor: I see your point. The very choice of watercolor resists the heavy impasto or rich oils of traditional portraiture of wealthy women of that time. This watercolor medium allows for a quicker, cheaper art practice. So, although seemingly presenting a society lady, he hints at accessibility by his medium. And by the quick marks it may suggest mass produced patterns that have informed his stylistic treatment, democratising the reading of the portrayed subject and what they wear. Curator: It's certainly more enigmatic than it first appears, isn’t it? I find myself oscillating between admiring the symbolic layers and considering the practical constraints and the message those very choices imply. Editor: Steenhoff definitely provides us with many potential directions to delve further. I feel like I can hear its historical whisper. Curator: And I will need to check out Steenhoff's market value, who was he trying to address? It is exciting.