Vrouw en een man op een ezel bij een waterbron 1670 - 1675

Curator: Before us, we have “Woman and a Man on a Donkey by a Water Fountain,” a print crafted between 1670 and 1675 by Paul van Somer II, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Well, if you hadn't told me, I'd swear this was pulled straight out of a daydream. The mood feels… pastoral but also slightly askew. A very peculiar composition; charming and slightly bizarre, with a hint of melancholy. Curator: The artist’s handling of line is critical to this impression, especially given his utilization of engraving techniques. Notice how hatching defines volume, most notably in the drapery. Consider, also, how the contrast between light and shadow creates a kind of tension. Editor: Absolutely, there’s that tension but there's something in the character's expressions, or lack thereof, that makes it feel like a story mid-telling. And, speaking of line, have you noticed the difference in the texture? The foliage above, compared to the smoothness on the animals. It's very delicate work; almost like poetry with a needle. Curator: The integration of animals, the landscape, and figuration indicates van Somer’s engagement with Dutch Golden Age artistic themes, however I will agree on the point that this engraving distinguishes itself through its attention to texture and contrast. Look carefully to the fountain details. Editor: It's like catching a fleeting memory. The sketchiness makes it dreamy, rather than, say, documentary. Curator: We can agree, perhaps, that it epitomizes the characteristics we see in sketches more broadly. Through careful attention to lines and light, the Dutch master, van Somer gives us the possibility to discover our own meaning to this work. Editor: A lovely journey down a not-so-ordinary path. Made me smile, think, and dream, all in one go.