Bloeiende tak van een eucalyptus 1872 - 1950

Barbara Elisabeth van Houten made this watercolor and pencil drawing of a eucalyptus branch, and it’s really got me thinking about the art of seeing. The leaves are painted in these long, slender strokes of blue-green watercolor, with the pencil marks peeking through. It feels like the whole thing was made in a flurry of observation, capturing the light as it moves across the leaves. Check out how the blue bleeds into the green, creating this cool, almost metallic sheen. You can almost feel the waxy texture of the eucalyptus. And the pencil lines, they're not just outlines, they add depth and a sense of movement, like the leaves are rustling in the breeze. It reminds me a bit of some of the botanical studies by Agnes Martin, that same attention to detail and quiet sense of wonder. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art isn’t just about representation, it’s about opening up new ways of experiencing the world.