Boot 1890 - 1946

Curator: Here we have Cornelis Vreedenburgh's drawing entitled "Boot," created sometime between 1890 and 1946. It's a delicate work on paper using primarily pencil. What strikes you when you first look at it? Editor: You know, at first glance, it reminds me of Giacometti's sculptures—that haunting, slender verticality. It has a ghostly presence, as if it’s disappearing even as we look at it. It's so fragile and precarious, you almost expect it to dissolve right off the page. Curator: That’s interesting because Vreedenburgh's broader artistic practice placed him within the Hague School, known for its realistic depictions of Dutch landscapes. Considering that historical framework, and how rapidly the world was industrializing then, do you read anything else in this particular figure? Editor: Well, I'm just musing here, but maybe there's something about that fading feeling which echoes anxieties from around that time? Like the fear of losing touch with slower rhythms and older technologies...I bet he may even be using an outdated boat-model too! Am I going too far? Curator: Not at all! It encourages thinking about industrialization from multiple perspectives. The sketch highlights absence, making me wonder what might have been intentionally left out. Consider class, too, when examining what constituted labour versus leisure...what did having a boat represent? Was that a possibility for everyone? Or who may be unable to find suitable footwear... Editor: True! What about its composition? See how it has all that space around it, almost isolated on the paper? Maybe that empty space accentuates loneliness, or obsolescence? I think it speaks volumes beyond simply a boat's representation...or that maybe someone just doodles too, ya'know? Curator: Indeed, by carefully analyzing all that negative space, we can further understand the themes of marginalization. It really challenges us to look at Dutch society at that time, considering rapid socio-economic and technological changes that altered living for certain segments of the population. Thanks, that's a fresh perspective, making us consider deeper socio-political undercurrents through this singular sketched image! Editor: Oh anytime! This piece got me reflecting on so much more, than the obvious...like our interconnected histories, and how quickly time marches on!