Uitgesponnen gebbe 1862 - 1867

Editor: Here we have "Uitgesponnen gebbe," a pencil and graphite drawing on paper by Johannes Tavenraat, created sometime between 1862 and 1867. It has such an airy, almost ethereal quality to it, don't you think? What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: Ah, yes. I am immediately transported. For me, it whispers of a fleeting moment, like catching a dream just as it evaporates upon waking. It is a masterclass in capturing light and shadow with minimal strokes, wouldn't you agree? See how Tavenraat uses those delicate lines to suggest form and texture? Do you get a sense of movement? It's there, subtly, in the draping folds and almost feels caught in the breeze. Editor: Definitely, it does seem caught in a moment. It reminds me of sketches from a personal sketchbook... Curator: Exactly! It's raw and immediate, which I find incredibly compelling. He jotted notes, in Dutch. It looks like the 30th of July of '62. The words that are almost poetry: “light flickers, but a light of filaments then saps (energy).” Perhaps Tavenraat was wrestling with his own artistic drive? Or capturing, just so, what’s been displayed. What do *you* think he had set up? Editor: I'm not quite sure but with “Uitgesponnen gebbe” translating to “Spun Gebbe”, the notes seem to suggest an experimental or performative situation where an item like the depicted draped canvas or gown has its appearance changed using environmental light and/or motion. Curator: Fascinating! The more we look, the more it reveals. Each viewing gives it new layers! Editor: Absolutely! I learned a lot today.