Studies van vissen 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this pencil drawing, 'Studies van Vissen', but the artwork date is unknown. Dijsselhof lived and worked in the Netherlands, and the Rijksmuseum is an important institution in Amsterdam. We can interpret this image, then, in light of the cultural and institutional factors that shaped the art world in the Netherlands during Dijsselhof's lifetime. Dijsselhof was a decorative artist, printmaker, painter, and designer. Although his work can be included in the symbolist movement, his interest in nature also connects him to the Art Nouveau movement. In this drawing, Dijsselhof studies the form of fish in an open and scientific way. He has even written some notes on the sketch, which could suggest this was for a larger project. To better understand this work, one might look to Dutch design and the decorative arts to find out how fish and nature were used as motifs. Also looking into the scientific study of marine biology in the Netherlands would further inform Dijsselhof's work.