Boomstammen c. 1863 - 1864

Curator: So here we have "Boomstammen", or "Tree Trunks," a pencil drawing made around 1863-64 by Maria Vos, and it currently resides here at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as beautifully quiet. Editor: That it is. When I look at this drawing, I'm reminded of the way fallen trees often become symbols of both decay and regeneration. The textures of the bark seem to tell stories of weathering, time passing, and the quiet drama of the forest. Curator: Precisely. I see that dance as well, the dialogue between something ending and beginning anew. I wonder, what’s so gripping here is its restraint. Just pencil on paper capturing a scene, but it’s all in the suggestive shading that conjures this feeling of depth. Editor: Right, because, isn’t that what realism—at least here—truly sought? An accurate depiction, yes, but it also invited a psychological mirror to its viewers. Each mark, each line evokes the essence of wood; those tree trunks become powerful, weighty even. They hint at strength and longevity—and perhaps even the persistence of nature. Curator: Almost an anthropomorphic presence in how that fallen trunk sprawls. What makes Vos such a clever artist, at least in my view, is she shows us something ordinary but transforms it through her observant and very disciplined draftsmanship. It is elevated, dare I say ennobled. It feels like you can smell the moss! Editor: And note how she uses the minimal of strokes, but those marks are deliberate; the image is imbued with cultural memory. Landscapes like these, particularly within Dutch art, often carry a layered understanding—a sense of both belonging and reflection on time itself. It evokes the Golden Age landscapes but without the fanfare. Curator: Exactly—I can appreciate that quiet ambition! Editor: So, while this is 'just' a study of fallen timber, I think it really shows us we should maybe reflect more upon nature's cyclical existence. Vos leaves us pondering the power held in decay. Curator: A small reflection prompting something quite massive to consider. How wonderful!