Interieur met portret, tafel en doorkijk op een gang by René Janssens

Interieur met portret, tafel en doorkijk op een gang 1880 - 1936

0:00
0:00

drawing, print, etching

# 

portrait

# 

drawing

# 

print

# 

etching

# 

line

# 

genre-painting

# 

realism

Dimensions: height 430 mm, width 452 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Curator: René Janssens’ etching, "Interieur met portret, tafel en doorkijk op een gang," from between 1880 and 1936, depicts an intimate interior space. Editor: There's a certain somberness that washes over me, seeing the stark contrast created solely by line work; the eye is led from light to dark, creating a dramatic feel. Curator: Janssens' expertise in etching is evident in the intricacy of the textures he coaxes from the medium, building up the lines and cross-hatching that capture light, form, and detail. Consider the interplay between the various planes and the compositional harmony achieved through a strict application of linear perspective. Editor: It’s also worth mentioning how the production choices influence our experience. Etching is not a spontaneous art; there's the slow build-up with the acid-resistant wax, the patient drawing, the biting process... The layers of labor add to this impression of careful solitude. Curator: Notice the subject matter as well. How do you interpret the symbolic interplay between the portrait, flowers, and glimpse into another room? Editor: For me, that is where the tension sits, I imagine, each of the rooms carries their labor demands: what meanings reside in that transition between spaces? The chequered floor of the landing makes me wonder if the materials come from a larger, perhaps even colonial context of global resource chains. Curator: I see the artist constructing a scene built on binaries – private/public, darkness/light, animate/inanimate – a very carefully mediated experience which plays off tradition, in theme, composition and material handling. Editor: True. However, seeing all the hand-made work reminds me that this is still tied to a reality of hands, materials, and a certain type of artisanal skill being displayed. It’s a curated isolation that belies its means of making. Curator: Ultimately, the lasting strength lies in the compositional and skillful use of etching to create depth and tone that speak to domesticity. Editor: Yes, a fascinating work indeed that draws into how artistic labor intersects with the lives of everyday folks.

Show more

Comments

No comments

Be the first to comment and join the conversation on the ultimate creative platform.