Gezicht op een bospad c. 1920

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this charcoal drawing of a forest path at some point during his lifetime. The tonal range here is really interesting; it’s all about blacks, greys, and whites, giving a ghostly feel, like the woods are fading into memory. There’s a real contrast between the two sides of the page. On the left, you've got these delicate, tentative lines, like the artist is feeling his way into the scene, and what looks like color swatches and notes. Then on the right, bam! A dense thicket of charcoal strokes; confident, bold, and kind of overwhelming. I love how the energy shifts across the page. It makes me think about how we approach the world, sometimes hesitant, sometimes diving in headfirst. The dark smudges pull you into the depths of the forest, while the faint lines hint at hidden details, maybe something lurking just out of sight. It reminds me a little of Philip Guston's dark, brooding landscapes, all emotion and atmosphere, where the process is the point.