Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 17 1875 - 1934

Editor: This work, “Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 17,” is by Isaac Israels and was created sometime between 1875 and 1934. It’s a charcoal and chalk drawing on paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. I’m immediately struck by the monochrome palette and the almost accidental feel of the piece. It's so abstract, I'm curious - what's your interpretation of it? Curator: Well, focusing on materiality, "Abklatsch" refers to a specific printmaking technique – essentially, a transfer or rubbing. The labor involved here is key; it’s about reproduction, about the process of transferring an image rather than creating a new one from scratch. Does this challenge the traditional role of the artist as an original creator, or does it showcase an alternative artistic labour? Editor: That's fascinating. It makes me think about the social context. Was Israels questioning the value of original artwork in a time of increasing mass production? Curator: Precisely! This piece engages with that very debate. The 'mistake', 'trace' or the "copy" becomes the artwork itself, shifting the emphasis away from skill-based execution toward conceptual gesture and material processes. How does it play with our notions of "high art" versus everyday techniques and labour? Editor: So, it's almost elevating the accidental or the overlooked aspect of the production process itself? This reframes how we typically view artistic skill and labor. Curator: Exactly. By foregrounding process and material limitations, Israels is compelling us to reconsider traditional art boundaries that favour the original masterpiece. What assumptions does this work ask us to question? Editor: It certainly makes you think about how much value we place on the "original" and the artist's hand, doesn’t it? I’ll never look at charcoal drawings the same way again!