Studie van een olm 1904 - 1908

Coba Steenhoff made this study of an elm with pencil, or maybe it’s charcoal, on paper. The lines are delicate, tracing the bare branches reaching skyward. The way she layers the marks gives the whole thing a shimmering quality. It reminds me of how a painter works, building up layers, line by line. See how some lines are darker, more certain, while others are faint, like ghosts? The surface feels alive, like Steenhoff was right there, feeling the weight of each branch and the texture of the bark. And those soft washes of grey behind the tree, they create such a mood, like a memory or a dream. This piece makes me think of Agnes Martin's drawings – that same quiet intensity and focus on the essentials. Ultimately, it's about the beauty of the ordinary, seen with fresh eyes, and how a simple subject can hold so much depth.