Zeilboot 1907

Willem Cornelis Rip created this drawing of a sailboat with graphite on paper. The artist's hand and mind are immediately present through the directness of the medium; the lines are not mediated by tools other than the pencil itself. The simplicity of graphite belies its industrial history. Graphite is mined, processed, and formed into pencils – objects of mass consumption. This drawing thus exists at the intersection of industry and individual expression. The quick strokes and open composition suggest that it was made en plein air, in immediate response to the scene. Consider how Rip has built the image through layering of thin, dark lines. They coalesce to form the essential elements of the sailboat, sea, and sky. The lack of detail invites the viewer to project their own experiences and imagination onto the scene. Ultimately, even a simple sketch prompts us to think about the labor of seeing, drawing, and the way the hand can translate the world.