Figuurstudie van een zittende vrouw met gebedenboekje in de hand, bij haar Statenbijbel Possibly 1888

Curator: Good afternoon! We're standing before a work by David Bles, dating probably from 1888. It's titled "Figuurstudie van een zittende vrouw met gebedenboekje in de hand, bij haar Statenbijbel," or "Figure Study of a Seated Woman with Prayer Book in Hand, by her States Bible." A detailed pencil drawing, held right here at the Rijksmuseum. What's your immediate take? Editor: It’s quite somber, isn’t it? The gray pencil rendering lends this work a feeling of quiet introspection, maybe even sadness. Curator: Precisely! Note how the artist employed realism to depict the woman’s posture; she's slouched slightly, head resting on her hand, beside a large, open Bible. The stark contrasts created by the pencil highlight the materiality of the scene. The lines of the heavy drapery, the heft of the bible, are rendered quite skillfully, I’d say. Editor: You're right, the contrast is fascinating! There's a tangible stillness, as though we've intruded on a very personal moment. Her dress seems quite detailed. There's even a glimmering clasp or bracelet on her wrist that contrasts with her plain cap and attire. And, look, she’s got a little book in her hand! The texture he achieves with just a pencil is remarkable. Curator: It really is! Considering the style, this aligns perfectly with the late 19th-century interest in depicting everyday life, particularly in domestic settings. But it’s not merely a neutral record; it carries, I think, an emotional weight. The figure itself and the context of her contemplation imply deeper religious thoughts or concerns. Editor: Absolutely. You feel the weight of those thoughts! It is like the Bible is not just an object, it represents the burdens, solace, or even questions that religion brings into our daily lives. Curator: What remains, in the end, is a profoundly intimate and technically refined glimpse into a soul—rendered masterfully through something as humble as pencil on paper. Editor: A soul brought into focus with some stunningly subtle gradations of light and shadow! Makes me wonder what she's actually pondering. Perhaps that is the drawing's magic, drawing us into her silence to consider her world along with ours.