Water als vriend en vijand, seizoen Winter 1869 - 1925

Antoon Derkinderen created this watercolor titled "Water als vriend en vijand, seizoen Winter," likely as a preparatory sketch. The choice of watercolor gives the artwork a sense of lightness. Yet, look closely and you’ll notice that these images relate to labor. The figures depicted seem to be fighting against, or being harmed by the forces of nature. The artist has sketched out three scenes, depicting labor, human resistance, and finally, people in harmony with nature. There are also hints of struggle in the figures’ postures and expressions, made all the more poignant by the delicacy of the medium. Derkinderen’s work, while rendered in what might seem a fragile way, speaks to the immense work required for the creation of civilization, and the relationship between mankind and the environment. It makes us consider all that goes into our built environment. In the end, it is a reminder that even preliminary sketches can be significant works of art in themselves.