Vogel, mogelijk op een tak c. 1886 - 1923

This sketch of a bird, possibly on a branch, was made by George Hendrik Breitner, and lives at the Rijksmuseum. Look at the way the lines come together to give the impression of this little bird, perched and alert. You can see how the smudges and the almost scribbled lines are as important as the clear outlines in evoking the character of the bird. There is something so immediate and intimate about sketchbooks - we feel like we are in the presence of the artist, catching them in the act of looking and responding to the world. The texture of the paper itself is also crucial here. Notice the tooth of it, how the graphite catches on the surface creating a sense of depth and volume despite the sparseness of the marks. Breitner's sketch reminds me a little of Picasso's quick animal sketches - where a few lines become everything. Both artists embrace the beauty of simplicity, capturing the essence of their subjects with an economy of means. It’s this willingness to embrace ambiguity and suggestion that makes art so endlessly fascinating.