Meisje probeert een kat te vangen 1892 - 1947

Gijsbertus Johannes van Overbeek made this drawing, "Meisje probeert een kat te vangen," probably with pen and ink, and I love the simplicity of its marks. It’s all lines, hatching and cross-hatching, to make the tones, and it's like he's thinking out loud on paper. What strikes me is the texture and the way the paper itself becomes part of the image. The varying pressure of the pen creates depth, making some areas darker and denser than others. Look at the playful lines that create the foliage; they’re almost scribbled, but so full of life! And that cat perched up in the tree – it’s like he’s saying: "You’ll never catch me!" The whole thing feels so spontaneous, like a moment captured in a breath. Van Overbeek reminds me a little of Saul Steinberg, who also had this incredible ability to say so much with a few lines. This piece is a reminder that art doesn’t have to be complicated; sometimes, it’s the simplest gestures that speak the loudest.