Schelp 1867 - 1935

Maurits van der Valk’s monochromatic drawing of a shell has got me thinking about the act of looking. I can imagine him crouched over this object, squinting, trying to capture its form with these varying shades of gray wash. I bet he was intrigued by the contrast between the spiraling ridges and the dark, cavernous opening. It reminds me of an eye socket, gazing back. Did he labor over the gradations of tone? The subtle rendering of light and shadow suggests a slow, deliberate process. I’m picturing him coaxing the ink across the paper. And I love that each stroke is a record of his looking. Ultimately, this drawing reveals as much about the artist’s perception, as it does about the shell itself. It shows how a simple subject can become a vehicle for exploring form, tone, and the very act of seeing. This is what connects artists – we all look, and we all wonder.