Gezicht op Zwolle 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing, Gezicht op Zwolle, probably in situ, directly in front of the motif using pencil on paper. It’s all about mark-making as a way to feel something out. The texture of the buildings is built up of many, many tiny marks – hatching, cross-hatching, and short, scribbly lines. It's so immediate, like he’s trying to capture a fleeting thought or impression. The physicality of the pencil on the paper is so present; you can almost hear the scratching sound as he built up the tones, layer by layer. Look at the top of the skyline, where the pencil marks are darker and more dense, creating a sense of depth and shadow. This kind of tonal approach, using line alone, reminds me of some of the early modernist landscape painters, like Cezanne, who were also interested in capturing the essence of a place through direct observation and careful mark-making. Art is an ongoing dialogue, after all.