Windmolen 1839 - 1872

Editor: Here we have Johannes Tavenraat's "Windmolen," dating from 1839 to 1872. It's a pencil drawing on what looks like aged paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. I'm struck by how light and almost ephemeral it feels. It really has a sketchy quality, as if he was capturing a quick impression. How do you interpret this work from a formal perspective? Curator: What I see here is a clear emphasis on line and form. Note how the artist uses very economic lines to define the windmill and its structural elements. The lines aren't necessarily precise; instead, they serve to suggest the basic shapes. Editor: It almost looks like an architectural sketch rather than a finished drawing, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely. Notice the geometric forms Tavenraat employs, especially the interplay between the cuboid body of the mill and the radial arrangement of the sails, which contributes to the dynamic tension. There's a balance in the arrangement, too. But where does your eye go first? Editor: I think I am drawn to the central, dark cube where the mill sits, which stands out. Curator: It establishes a point of visual interest around which the sketch unfolds, the aged and toned paper provides texture, setting a visual key to explore a quiet tension with its various lines. These contribute to a structured and visually satisfying whole, isn’t it? Editor: Definitely! Seeing it through the lens of form and structure makes me appreciate the artist's economy of means. Curator: Indeed. Focusing on these aspects gives us a deeper appreciation for Tavenraat’s compositional choices, shifting from the context and meaning behind its function as windmill, and observing the visual form alone.