December 1917

Curator: Welcome. We’re looking at “December,” a linocut print made by Julie de Graag in 1917. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Whoa, I love how this cat looks all snuggled up in itself! I get such a feeling of cozy hibernation just from the simple lines and monochrome palette. Curator: The geometric shapes she’s carved create such a powerful sense of form. We see the influences of Art Nouveau and Symbolism intertwining—especially, in how it reduces form to bold graphic essence, while also evoking something deeper… Perhaps a psychological state? Editor: Totally, it is as if this little feline *is* December—a physical embodiment of winter lethargy! I imagine this hanging in a room, providing not just decoration but a concentrated mood of quiet and peaceful introspection. Curator: Given that context, it would fit nicely alongside works from that period preoccupied with interiority, or explorations into a flattened perspective and reductive aesthetic, as we see developing in various avant-gardes at the time. There are social and art historical underpinnings here related to expression. Editor: True! It definitely avoids any kind of visual complexity… it almost anticipates minimalism with its emphasis on a clear, singular statement. The shapes feel self-contained and symbolic. I keep wanting to stroke the velvety black background! Curator: A fitting textural response! The negative space activates just as much as the linework itself. It shows her deft understanding of the linocut technique, using sharp contrasts to emphasize form. She presents a unique and stark take on animal representation. Editor: Looking at it, I am really connecting with its elegance and that invitation for stillness. I might just go home and take a nap now. Curator: That’s the enchanting thing about viewing art: it can nudge us towards empathy—allowing for us to discover new awareness about ourselves through someone else's observations. Editor: Here's to de Graag nudging us into more feline states of mind. Thank you.