Huis tussen de bomen 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this sketch with graphite, probably en plein air. The quick, light marks that build the image let you see the process so clearly. It feels very off-the-cuff and personal, like a peek inside the artist's notebook. I love the contrast between the tightly worked lines of the face at the bottom and the more open, gestural marks that suggest the trees and the house behind them. It's like Vreedenburgh was really trying to capture the light filtering through the leaves, not so much by drawing every single leaf, but by giving the impression of dappled shadows and shimmering light. Look at how the trees are almost vibrating on the page! It’s not just a record of a place, but a record of a moment, a feeling. Reminds me a bit of Cezanne's watercolors, in the way that he used a kind of shorthand to capture the essence of a scene. You can see how artists learn from each other across time, riffing on ideas, pushing things further. For Vreedenburgh, it's less about a perfect depiction, and more about capturing the energy and the atmosphere of a scene.