Distel 1858 - 1869

Curator: Well, if it isn't Johannes Tavenraat's "Distel," crafted sometime between 1858 and 1869. It's currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. First thoughts? Editor: My initial feeling? Overwhelmed! There's writing scattered across what appears to be a study of plant forms in pencil, ink and watercolor. It feels chaotic, more like a private notebook than a formal presentation. Curator: Precisely! This piece gives us a peek into Tavenraat's artistic process, doesn't it? The random notes and equations intermingling with his botanical study are so intimate. We can imagine him wandering, sketchbook in hand, capturing fleeting impressions from nature while simultaneously keeping accounts or copying medical prescriptions. Editor: I see that contrast – nature observation meets the cold exactitude of mathematical notations. Though, beyond the journaling aspect, focusing on his technique we observe thin washes of watercolor layering over precise pencil work. The strokes describing the leaves and details exhibit real command. Curator: Agreed. It's fascinating how he used different mediums to capture distinct aspects of the natural world. You sense he’s not just recording the plant but trying to grasp its essence. There’s even an odd tenderness, given how spiky thistles are! It speaks of a deep connection to nature, perhaps even a romantic sensibility underpinning his analytical eye. Editor: That may be. Yet the visual field remains fractured: scattered notes compete with close renderings of botanical detail. To my sensibility, he uses this medium expressively rather than descriptively or analytically. Curator: An accurate formal observation! I still keep coming back to this drawing's off-the-cuff aspect and stream-of-consciousness feel – a raw window into his process. Thank you for guiding us with that incisive observation of the artist’s hand. Editor: Indeed. His intuitive hand shines in its apparent disarray.