Kinderen bij een visnet 1888 - 1892

Editor: This watercolour, "Children with a Fishing Net" made between 1888 and 1892, seems like a simple snapshot of everyday life. There's a beautiful stillness, almost melancholic, about the scene. How would you interpret it? Curator: Well, let's look closer at the materials. It's a watercolour, which lends itself to that soft, almost dreamlike quality you noticed. But think about what watercolour on paper *meant* at the time. Was paper a readily available material? Did everyone have access to watercolour pigments? These elements dictated not only the final aesthetics, but its reception among viewers. What kind of labor goes into this genre scene? What might this watercolor represent for the commissioner who ordered it? Editor: That’s fascinating. I was only really focusing on the imagery of the children and the water. So the materials are key. I didn’t consider paper having that type of influence! Curator: Exactly! Look at the nets – they represent labour, sustenance, the very fabric of survival for these children's families. And consider how those nets are represented; what are the formal means by which that scene and narrative are composed? Is it idealizing the labour, or is it calling for acknowledgement and attention? Editor: I guess seeing them playing there implies a more romanticized view of labour, though I also see a very raw presentation of reality with what's available to the children in this landscape. I suppose that tension can be at the very heart of it. Thank you, I am seeing much more complexity now! Curator: Exactly. By focusing on the production of the materials, labor, and considering consumption, we can challenge conventional perceptions. Hopefully now you see there are additional layers to this tranquil scene.