Tak met bloemen in de knop c. 1916 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing of flower buds in a sketchbook, sometime before 1945. I love how provisional this feels, like Stolk is thinking through the subject as he draws. Look at the tentative, searching lines that describe the buds, almost like the ghost of the thing itself. You can see the pentimenti, the erasures and redrawings. It's all there, the history of the making. Even the paper feels raw, with its visible grain and the slight imperfections that make it feel so real. Notice how a few lines create a sense of depth and form, suggesting light and shadow. It reminds me of sketches by Manet, that same attention to the fleeting moment, the sketchiness and simplicity, and that willingness to leave the work unresolved. But maybe it's more connected to the Dutch tradition, a quiet observation of the everyday. Anyway, for me, the beauty lies in its openness and its willingness to embrace imperfection.