Zeilboten op een gracht 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing of sailboats on a canal with graphite on paper. There is something really freeing about the lightness of touch in this sketch, how little is really there, but how much is suggested. I’m drawn to the marks describing the foliage on the right; they’re gestural, almost scribbled, but they convey a sense of depth. There’s a real dialogue between the delicate, almost ephemeral lines and the more assertive strokes that define the boats. This interplay creates a dynamic tension, a dance between clarity and ambiguity. I see echoes of Whistler’s subtle tonal arrangements, though Vreedenburgh’s mark-making feels more immediate, more personal. Ultimately, it’s about embracing the inherent ambiguity of art, allowing multiple interpretations to coexist, and seeing the world, mark by mark, line by line.