Liggende geit c. 1756 - 1797

Curator: Hendrik Willem Schweickhardt created this charcoal and pastel drawing, titled "Liggende geit," sometime between 1756 and 1797. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: It strikes me how still it is; the subdued greys and browns contribute to an incredible feeling of calmness. It really captures the animal’s quiet repose. Curator: That stillness could be seen as reflecting the broader social and political climate of the late 18th century. Schweickhardt was working during a time of upheaval. Consider how agrarian life was idealized even as the aristocracy held onto power. Perhaps the goat becomes a symbol of pastoral tranquility amidst social unrest. Editor: Or perhaps the use of charcoal allows Schweickhardt to masterfully render texture and light, animating an otherwise mundane subject with tonal nuance and compositional balance? The rendering of the fur alone… the varying shades suggest form with such efficient elegance! Curator: Yes, and that elegant rendering may have been used to convey messages to a particular audience, such as to express the necessity to conserve animals, especially goats. The details would also have meaning within a patriarchal society. The goat could represent fertility and abundance. The image would speak to certain viewers from the upper class about maintaining resources. Editor: It's certainly true that there's an undeniable naturalism present. Yet, I am captivated by how the composition emphasizes line and form over detail. The subject, simply, is contained within this space. It makes me ponder the role of Realism itself within such stark boundaries of paper and charcoal. Curator: And it urges me to recall that "Realism" is never neutral. Whose reality is being represented, and for what purpose? The art reflects on how we use and regard resources during times of shifting power, inviting the upper class to consider responsibility, as they had an over-abundance in comparison to common folk. Editor: Well, considering its visual appeal, it encourages a deeper looking into its simplicity and tonal variations. It moves beyond a simple representation. Curator: Indeed, beyond representation. It invites an examination of our historical consciousness. Editor: Absolutely. There’s a technical elegance, and from our chat I also take away social relevance and consciousness, wouldn’t you say?