Nicolaaskerk te Amsterdam 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this sketch of the Nicolaaskerk in Amsterdam using graphite on paper. It’s all about seeing how marks build a world, isn't it? There’s something so immediate and raw about the sketch; it's as though Vreedenburgh is thinking through the act of drawing itself. The texture of the graphite against the paper creates a dance of light and shadow, and the architectural details, while roughly rendered, possess a tangible quality. Look closely at the upper portion, the shaded part. The density of the hatched lines, applied diagonally, is like a dark cloud of abstraction. Vreedenburgh’s work reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi. Both artists share a deep interest in everyday subjects, approaching them with quiet intensity. It is an exploration of how meaning can be found in the act of seeing, of questioning our assumptions about what constitutes art.