Gezicht op daken van huizen te Amsterdam 1890 - 1946

This drawing of Amsterdam rooftops was made by Cornelis Vreedenburgh using graphite on paper. What’s so cool about a sketch is that you get a direct line into the artist’s process. It's like catching them in the act of thinking! Look at the varied marks, how they build up the forms. There are tentative, light lines, confident dark lines and lots of hatching to build up tone. The texture of the paper really comes through, giving it a beautiful, raw quality. In the middle, there's this cluster of darker marks, almost scribbled – a real focal point that anchors the whole composition. It reminds me a little of Giacometti’s drawings, with that same searching, restless energy. Ultimately, this drawing is about the joy of looking, of trying to capture the essence of a place with just a few simple marks. It leaves so much open to our imagination.