Koeien bij een sloot 1919 - 1921

Willem Cornelis Rip made this drawing, Koeien bij een sloot, with soft graphite pencil, a lovely atmospheric sketch. I can just imagine Rip with his sketchbook standing en plein air. He squints to see his subject – perhaps the sun is in his eyes. See the way the marks build up, layering and shifting, as he patiently captures the essence of the landscape. Those cows look pretty content. I can almost hear them chewing and swishing their tails. I wonder what Rip was thinking about as he worked? Was he simply trying to capture the scene before him, or was he also trying to express something about his own inner state? The soft, blurred lines create a sense of tranquility, like a hazy summer afternoon. The tonal variations suggest depth and form, drawing you into the scene. It makes me want to go outside. I love how artists show us new ways of seeing.