Staand meisje en bloemen 1892 - 1901

Editor: This drawing, "Staand meisje en bloemen" from sometime between 1892 and 1901 by Antoon Derkinderen, is made with pencil on paper. It's quite spare. It feels unfinished. The composition has this lone figure almost disappearing among loosely sketched flowers. How do you interpret this work, given its historical context? Curator: Well, given that this sketch dates to the late 19th century, it's useful to consider the prevailing academic styles Derkinderen would have been reacting to or participating in. Quick sketches like these often served as preparatory studies. Could this be interpreted as a statement on the value placed on capturing fleeting impressions, reflecting the shift towards immediacy seen in Impressionism, or as private notations separate from the demand for "finished" works exhibited in Salons? Editor: That makes sense. So, the sketch-like quality wasn't necessarily a failing, but could actually be part of its artistic value? How would that be seen by the public at the time? Curator: Precisely. Public reception would vary depending on whether this was ever displayed, or circulated privately. Consider how exhibition culture was evolving; alternative venues outside official Salons arose showing works in progress and defying traditional standards of finish, like the venues Impressionists cultivated. But, if never intended for wider viewing during its time, this then could give us privileged access to the artistic process. The unfinished aesthetic democratizes the artwork somehow. Editor: That is fascinating. I hadn't considered the way its potential status, finished or unfinished, could change its meaning completely. Thanks! Curator: And considering how those impressions echo to our own evolving definitions of “art” through contemporary means of sharing "unfinished" ideas or sketches through our devices today offers yet another compelling question.