Lossend schip op een strand 1917 - 1970

Adrie Vürtheim made this drawing of a stranded ship on a beach using pen and ink, with an approach to mark-making that feels both precise and spontaneous. The scene unfolds through delicate lines and hatching, capturing a moment in time. The ink has a lovely fluidity, hasn't it? You can almost feel the way the pen moved across the paper, creating the textures of the ship's hull and the movement of the water. Look at the horse, the lines forming the body are so light. Whereas the hull of the ship seems much darker and more defined. The use of line and tone really conveys the weight of the ship itself. It makes me think of other artists who worked with a similar economy of line, like David Hockney. But here, Vürtheim brings a unique sensitivity to the scene, a kind of gentle observation that makes you feel like you're right there on the beach, watching this whole scene unfold. Art is like that, right? An ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time.