Portret van een lachende man met bril 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing of a smiling man with glasses in pen, and it’s all about the line. The quick, almost scribbled lines give it a real sense of immediacy, like he was trying to capture a fleeting expression. The lines aren't precious; they’re kind of awkward, and that's what I love about it. There's something so honest about that. Take a look at the hatching on the man's head, those tiny lines that suggest the shape of his skull. It’s not about perfection, but about feeling. It makes me think of other artists who embraced the sketch, like Daumier, using line not just to describe but to evoke a whole personality. It shows how art is a conversation across time, always riffing on what came before, and always open to new ways of seeing.