Schetsen van koeien 1854 - 1910

Curator: Before us we have “Schetsen van koeien,” or "Sketches of Cows," a pencil drawing by Willem Maris, likely created between 1854 and 1910. Editor: It has a quiet, unassuming air. The delicate pencil work and subdued palette lend a sense of peaceful observation, wouldn't you say? Curator: I think that observation holds. This work provides insights into Maris’s working methods; the drawing emphasizes the labour involved in artistic production. Note the varying pencil strokes, almost hurried in places, giving a sense of immediacy, like the artist quickly capturing a fleeting moment in the fields. We see the materiality, the physical act of drawing, laid bare. Editor: From a formal perspective, it’s fascinating how Maris utilizes the negative space to define the forms of the cows. The composition, while seemingly simple, employs a visual hierarchy. The cows in the foreground are rendered with greater detail, anchoring the composition, while the distant herd is suggested with the barest of lines. What do you think about the use of realism here? Curator: Well, realism here represents a particular way of life. The work depicts rural labour, where the cows are the product, almost as the commodity. It shows how these animals are embedded in a socio-economic system of production and consumption. These images challenge the divide between 'high art' and scenes of everyday labor. Editor: But isn't it also about capturing the essence of the animals themselves? Look at how Maris captures their bulk, the gentle curves of their bodies. Even in the looseness of the sketch, you can discern individual personalities and temperaments. It reminds me of some ideas surrounding naturalism. Curator: Certainly, the style gives that essence; but at the end of the day, that cow still goes to market. Editor: Perhaps art serves as an intersection where pastoral life meets the realities of socio-economic conditions, which this artwork beautifully epitomizes in its structural and compositional form. Curator: Yes, it gives an accessible peek into the making of the work and reminds us to reconsider the cultural narratives perpetuated by rural scenes like this. Editor: I'll consider these intersecting cultural and material realities when looking at similar sketches from now on.