Pad richting een boerderij 1923

Alexander Shilling made "Path to a Farm" with graphite on paper. It’s all about the energy of mark-making. See how the lines capture light and shadow? He uses a sort of shorthand, a quick, scribbled way to describe what he sees. Look closely at the clouds. The lines are dense and dark, suggesting weight, but also a kind of restless movement. It feels like a process of discovery, like Shilling is thinking through the image as he draws it. I'm reminded of Van Gogh's drawings, how he used line to build form and evoke emotion. Like Van Gogh, Shilling embraces the immediacy of the medium, letting the energy of his hand flow onto the paper. It's a sketch, but it feels complete, full of light, air, and a sense of place.