Huizen aan weerszijden van een kanaal 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing with a graphite pencil, probably en plein air. The strokes are applied quickly, with layered marks and varied pressure to suggest houses on both sides of a canal. I'm imagining Vreedenburgh trying to capture the light shimmering on the water and the architectural details of the buildings with just a few, simple lines. Maybe he was thinking about the relationship between the man-made and natural world, and how they coexist and reflect each other. The marks feel spontaneous yet precise. They remind me a bit of the architectural drawings made by Cy Twombly when he was in the army - although Twombly’s squiggles are way more chaotic. The buildings loom with their hatched shadows, suggesting a certain weightiness and permanence, while the surrounding trees are rendered with softer, more fluid strokes, creating a sense of movement and organic growth. It’s a quiet piece, but still so full of information. Artists, like Vreedenburgh, are always in conversation with each other, borrowing ideas, techniques, and approaches across time. They create a rich tapestry of artistic expression that helps us see and understand the world in new and meaningful ways.