Straatgezicht 1890 - 1946

Editor: This is “Straatgezicht,” or “Street View,” a pencil drawing by Cornelis Vreedenburgh, dating sometime between 1890 and 1946. It's held at the Rijksmuseum. I’m immediately struck by the raw, almost hurried quality of the lines. It feels like a fleeting glimpse of a moment in time. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, I adore that “hurried quality” you've picked up on! It reminds me of wandering through a bustling city, sketchbook in hand, desperately trying to capture the ephemeral essence before it vanishes like smoke. It's as though Vreedenburgh wanted to capture not just the physical reality of the street, but also the feeling, the energy, the soul of the place. Doesn’t the upward perspective feel slightly distorted, slightly dreamlike? Editor: It does! It's not quite photographic. Curator: Exactly! And it makes me wonder, what was it about this particular street corner that caught his eye? The bare trees scratching at the sky? The rhythm of the buildings? The figures hurrying about their day? There’s almost a loneliness in it, despite all the activity. What do you make of that feeling? Editor: I see it too! Perhaps it's because the figures are so indistinct, just shapes really. It makes them seem isolated. I wonder if that was intentional, or simply a result of the quick sketching style? Curator: Perhaps a little of both. Intention is such a slippery fish to grab hold of, isn’t it? I find it more rewarding to simply be present with the work, to let it stir my own memories and emotions. It reminds me a bit of old photographs where the people you want to see clearly are blurred beyond recognition. Editor: That’s a beautiful way to think about it. I'll try to bring this insight with me as I look at other artwork. Curator: Me too, the impermanence and raw feeling are going to stick with me today.