Gezicht op Arnhem, 1672 1900 - 1903

The frères Moreau made this drawing of Arnhem in 1672, using what looks like pen and ink to render a panoramic view. I can imagine them sitting there, maybe a bit cold, squinting their eyes to focus on what was in front of them, trying to capture the essence of the city. What were they thinking as they moved their hands across the paper? There’s a real sense of immediacy here, right? The surface is a light gray with these quick, dark marks that delineate the forms and create depth. The lines, they're not fussy, but really direct and confident, you know? Like they knew exactly where they were going. And notice how the texture of the paper peeks through, giving it a kind of raw, unfinished feel. It reminds me a little of Hercules Segers' landscapes, but without the colour of course! For me, drawing, like painting, is about embracing the unexpected. It's about being in dialogue with the materials and allowing the process to guide you. It's less about capturing a perfect likeness and more about conveying a feeling, a mood, a sense of place. And, ultimately, that’s what makes art so endlessly fascinating, and such an important part of being human.