Etenstijd in quarantaine - To Frank-Stoltz

A poignant 1943 graphite sketch by To Frank-Stoltz documenting the daily routine of food distribution during a period of quarantine.

This graphite sketch, dated 8 September 1943, captures a scene of daily life under the constraints of quarantine. The artist, To Frank-Stoltz, depicts a group of individuals gathered for a meal, with one figure serving from a large container while others wait with bowls. The composition is straightforward, focusing on the human interaction and the routine nature of the activity despite the unusual circumstances.

The drawing style is economical, relying on thin, precise lines to define the figures and their simple clothing. The artist avoids unnecessary detail, allowing the viewer to focus on the posture and the quiet, collective experience of the subjects. The paper tone provides a neutral ground, typical of wartime sketchbooks where materials were often limited. The handwritten annotation at the bottom, 'krätze quarantaine, Essen austeilen' (scabies quarantine, distributing food), provides a direct historical context for the work, identifying the specific conditions of the confinement.

As a historical document, this piece offers a glimpse into the realities of life during the mid-twentieth century. It avoids sentimentality, presenting the scene with a documentary quality that records the mundane aspects of survival. The work is an example of how artists used their practice to document their immediate environment, even when that environment was defined by restriction and hardship. The lack of heavy shading or complex perspective reinforces the immediacy of the sketch, suggesting it was produced quickly, perhaps as a way to process or observe the situation as it unfolded. This print preserves the original character of the graphite lines, maintaining the integrity of the artist's hand and the raw, unpolished nature of the original study.