Gordijn en boom c. 1944 - 1990

Kees Stoop created this etching entitled 'Gordijn en boom' or 'Curtain and Tree'. Here, Stoop presents a view from inside a domestic space, looking out onto the natural world. We see a tree framed by a window and curtain. Made in the Netherlands, it's tempting to consider how the artist’s vision may have been impacted by the cultural reconstruction happening in the Netherlands at that time. Stoop had to make his way as an artist, working in graphics. It would be interesting to know more about the institutional support available to him, and how this piece fits into his artistic output. As art historians, we might dig into exhibition reviews from that time, to find out how these everyday scenes were received by audiences and critics alike. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.