Schetsen van eenden 1872 - 1931

Willem de Zwart made these "Schetsen van eenden", or Sketches of Ducks, with graphite on paper. What strikes me is the lightness of touch; you can see the artist feeling his way into the subject, letting the image emerge through a delicate dance of lines. It reminds me of my own process, where the first marks are exploratory, like tentative steps into the unknown. Look at how the shading defines the ducks’ forms, giving them weight and volume. You can almost feel the softness of their feathers. The graphite is applied in layers, creating a subtle interplay of light and shadow. Notice the way the artist uses quick, scribbled lines to suggest movement, capturing the restless energy of these creatures. There's a real sense of immediacy, as if the artist is trying to capture a fleeting moment. It makes me think of other sketch artists like Degas, with their focus on movement, and a commitment to the process of observing, of thinking through the act of drawing. These Sketches of Ducks celebrate the messy, imperfect nature of artmaking.