Overstroming van de Rijndijk in Gelderland, 1770 1787 - 1789

Editor: This drawing, “Overstroming van de Rijndijk in Gelderland, 1770” by Jacobus Buys, done around 1787-1789, depicts a flood using ink and pencil on paper. The scene is chaotic, figures struggle against the water. How do you interpret the impact of the materials on the depiction of this disaster? Curator: Considering its materiality, the use of ink and pencil offers a stark and immediate visualization of the event. The choice of readily available, inexpensive materials speaks to a democratized access to documenting such occurrences. Was Buys perhaps more concerned with representing the event for the broader public rather than a select, wealthy audience? Editor: That's a fascinating point about accessibility! The detailed rendering despite using simple materials does suggest a wider viewership. But how does the act of drawing, as a quicker method than painting, affect how we perceive the historical event itself? Curator: The quick nature of drawing, in contrast to the time-intensive process of oil painting, brings an immediacy. The lines suggest the rapid response needed during such a crisis, highlighting the labor involved not only in rescue but in memorializing the event. Could we consider this a form of early photojournalism, utilizing readily available materials for broader social commentary? Editor: So, focusing on the means of production – ink and paper – actually elevates the drawing to a commentary on social conditions and labor itself? I hadn’t considered it that way before. Curator: Exactly! The very act of choosing these materials moves away from glorifying the event, instead focusing our attention on the struggles of those affected, thus emphasizing the labor and the real consequences of this disaster. Editor: This materialist approach really reframes how I see this drawing. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's through understanding the relationship between material, method, and message that we truly understand the artist’s intention and the artwork’s cultural value.