Brug bij Langham Mill 1913 - 1918

This pencil drawing of a bridge by Langham Mill was created in 1913 by Alexander Shilling. You can see the artist has quickly captured the scene, the pencil marks are suggestive, with a lack of detail. There's a real sense of immediacy. I can imagine the artist standing by the river, rapidly sketching the view in front of him; the mill, the bridge, the trees. The bridge itself dominates the composition, represented through a series of vertical and horizontal marks, which give it a solid, blocky feel. There's a real contrast between the firm lines of the bridge and the looser, sketchier marks of the trees behind it. The artist uses shading to create depth and volume, particularly in the trees and on the roof of the mill. The sketch has a wonderful simplicity, I can feel his presence there. It’s as if he wants to capture a fleeting moment in time, and share it with us.