Bomen 1884 - 1927

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this drawing, Bomen, with graphite, probably en plein air. It's a sketch, and you can see how the marks build up, searching for form, especially in the cluster of trees on the left. The artist isn't trying to trick us into thinking this *is* a forest. We can see it's a drawing *of* trees! The texture of the paper and the smudging of the graphite are so present. It feels immediate and raw, like a moment captured. Look at the single, wiry line floating above the trees. What is that? A stray branch? A bird in flight? It's so ambiguous, yet it adds such a sense of depth and mystery to the scene. This piece reminds me of some of Guston's looser drawings, where the process is laid bare. Both artists invite us to witness their thought processes and to find beauty in the unfinished and the uncertain.