Ornament met zeepaardje 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries made this sketch, Ornament met zeepaardje, with pencil on paper, date unknown. It's like he was just doodling, letting his mind wander, figuring things out as he went, you know? The lines are thin and delicate, almost like whispers, making you lean in closer. Check out how the seahorse’s body is made of these simple, elegant curves, and then you see the other animal, this wild, scribbled thing. It's all so immediate, so free. And the paper itself! It's got this kind of raw, unfinished quality that makes the whole thing feel even more intimate. Think of Cy Twombly, with that same kind of playful energy. It feels like de Vries is inviting us into his process, showing us how art is just a conversation with yourself, a way of seeing the world in new and unexpected ways.