Landschap met boerderij omgeven door bomen Possibly 1866 - 1868

Editor: Here we have Jan Striening's "Landschap met boerderij omgeven door bomen," thought to be made sometime between 1866 and 1868. It's a watercolor, giving it this gentle, almost ethereal feel. What strikes me most is how…ordinary it seems, and yet, so peaceful. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: It's intriguing how Striening chooses such a seemingly unremarkable scene. The value lies in the materiality and method of production. Consider the choice of watercolor: a portable medium, enabling plein-air execution, aligning with the growing accessibility of art materials and leisure time for the burgeoning middle class. It speaks volumes about shifting social structures and art production, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. It’s like, this isn’t some grand historical painting; it's someone’s house! So the availability of materials is allowing people to…document their everyday? Curator: Exactly! Think about the production of paper and pigments during this period. The rise of industrialization meant these materials became cheaper, allowing more people, not just the wealthy elite, to create and consume art. It blurs the line between "high art" and…a form of visual journaling, a record of everyday life and the landscape being actively consumed. How does that shift your perspective on the scene itself? Editor: It makes it feel almost radical. Not radical in a loud way, but…democratizing. Like art is becoming something everyone can participate in, not just observe from afar. I hadn't really thought about it in terms of the economy of art making before. Curator: Precisely. By examining the material conditions and means of production, we uncover how seemingly simple landscapes are deeply embedded in social and economic transformations. Editor: I'll never look at a landscape watercolor the same way again. I was so focused on the visual that I almost missed the story the materials themselves tell!