Portret van een vrouw met een hoed 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing of a woman with a hat, with what looks like a graphite stick or a very soft pencil. The immediacy of the marks suggests that Vreedenburgh was really feeling his way through the drawing, letting his hand lead the way. The texture of the paper and the way the graphite sits on the surface are as much a part of the piece as the portrait itself. Look how the hat is defined by these energetic, almost scribbled lines, full of movement. And then, these softer, more delicate strokes that define her face. For me, this sketch feels like a conversation, the kind you have when you're trying to understand something, working it out as you go. There’s a bit of Daumier here, in the way Vreedenburgh captures the weight and reality of the figure with such simple means. Art isn't about answers but the ongoing process of seeing and questioning.