Façade van een gebouw c. 1901

Curator: So, here we have "Facade of a Building", a pencil drawing on paper created around 1901 by Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof. It's currently housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Well, my first impression is a bit raw, you know? It's just sketched, like a thought captured quickly. I dig the raw lines—almost feels like peeking into the artist's brain while he's designing this thing. A bit rough, like seeing the bones before the flesh. Curator: Exactly. The sketch showcases Dijsselhof's clear engagement with Art Nouveau. This style embraced ornamentation and natural forms. Think about the historical context: architects wanted to move away from industrial design and mass-produced elements. Dijsselhof captures this sentiment perfectly here, focusing on detail and handcrafted aesthetic values. Editor: Oh, yeah, I totally see the Art Nouveau thing. But what grabs me are the strange shapes that almost seem to be forming eyes or faces, hidden amongst the detail of the structure itself, and is that foliage? The suggestion of foliage, I mean. Gives it this kind of organic, almost fantastical vibe like a living building, you know? A building that’s breathing or dreaming something into being. Curator: Yes, I understand, but in this study for an architectural element you can also recognize how structures could also be interpreted to embody organic attributes and carry a certain status in the collective conscious through architectural detail. The aesthetic is about harmonizing form with natural growth and cultural value, expressing a kind of socio-artistic utopian vision. Editor: Interesting. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I’m wondering whether I was more focused on how this thing actually ‘feels’. Now, the questions start to come. Which kind of building was Dijsselhof imagining? What was the goal when he captured it so quickly on paper? And ultimately I just wonder how different his concept of the facade finally looks compared to his initial design… Curator: Those are certainly insightful questions, ones I invite visitors to contemplate on their own after this short introductory, perhaps? As always, observing art helps us understanding cultural context while exploring different visions on how these interact, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely! You know, every work holds more stories than its original intention allows it to tell. It will depend on who gazes at it to enrich these even more…