Vrouw achter een tekentafel 1890 - 1922

Johanna van de Kamer captured this woman at a drawing table with pencil on paper. Isn't it interesting how a few lines can tell such a specific story? I think this piece is really about the process of art-making. The texture of the paper itself is part of the drawing; those varied tones give it depth and atmosphere. Look at the way van de Kamer uses line weight to suggest the form of the woman’s body, how a few quick strokes can define the drape of a dress. There’s a sense of immediacy, of capturing a fleeting moment. You get the sense that she’s working quickly, trying to get the essence of the pose down on paper. This drawing reminds me a lot of Käthe Kollwitz’s sketches. Both artists use a kind of raw, expressive line. They both embrace ambiguity, inviting the viewer to fill in the gaps.