Twee paarden 1877 - 1880

Editor: This is "Two Horses," a pencil drawing made between 1877 and 1880 by Jac van Looij. It feels like a very immediate, almost ephemeral sketch. What catches your eye about it? Curator: The visible process of mark-making is really compelling here. We can clearly see the artist's hand at work – the repeated lines, the adjustments. Consider the kind of pencil, the paper used – how does this specific combination affect the final image, and, moreover, how might it have impacted Looij’s own labour in creating it? Editor: That’s interesting; I hadn’t really considered the materiality itself so closely. Curator: Think about the social context too. During this period, the availability and affordability of materials like paper and pencils were changing, and this accessibility democratized art-making to some degree. Was Looij part of the shift, documenting everyday rural life with newly available drawing material? What labor or social class do you associate with working horses at the time? Editor: It really brings a new depth to this simple sketch; these animals as laborers depicted with affordable materials opens to many conversations about that time. Curator: Exactly! Looking at the material conditions and production makes apparent underlying narratives about work, accessibility, and artistic choices, shifting what it is “high art” is and what it’s capable of. Editor: Thank you, that perspective really broadened my understanding. I will pay close attention to that next time! Curator: Same here; it's a privilege to view art with students of art.