Rouwgedicht voor Moses ter Borch after 1667

Curator: Here we have Gesina ter Borch's "Rouwgedicht voor Moses ter Borch," a drawing made after 1667. Editor: This piece, an ink drawing on paper, seems incredibly intimate. The handwriting, though beautiful, feels like a personal outpouring of grief. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, let’s consider the means of its creation. Ter Borch, using ink, a readily available material, transforms the domestic act of writing into a powerful expression of mourning for her brother. Editor: So, the materiality speaks to accessibility? Curator: Precisely! Think about the social context: mourning rituals, the role of women in expressing grief. Ink and paper became tools for Gesina to grapple with loss, but also to potentially circulate this grief within her immediate social sphere. The act of creating a visual poem… that's blurring the lines between personal craft and artistic expression. The Baroque style, with its ornamentation, adds a layer to this, doesn’t it? Editor: I see what you mean, she takes ordinary materials from daily life and, through skilled handwork, elevates them into a commemorative object and emotive poem. Is the intended audience more than herself alone? Curator: A crucial question. Is it simply cathartic, or meant for wider circulation amongst family? Understanding the intention helps us interpret its social function, its role in memorializing Moses within the Ter Borch family. What happens when we consider it a designed artifact versus as diary entry? Editor: It definitely complicates the meaning when considering its potential to function beyond one artist in isolation expressing emotion. It adds so many layers, from personal labor, skill and emotional release to planned intention to distribute copies for the purposes of mourning! Curator: Exactly! The convergence of material, technique, and social intention allows us to deeply understand the purpose of Gesina’s work. Editor: I never would have considered the material implications and design possibilities of an intimate expression. Thank you!