Zeilboot aan een kade c. 1908 - 1923

Ferdinand Oldewelt made this drawing of a sailboat at a quay with pencil on paper. I love how the strokes aren’t overworked and the image appears almost ghostly. I can imagine Oldewelt quickly sketching to capture the scene before it disappeared. The texture of the paper and the varying pressure of the pencil create a sense of depth and atmosphere, a kind of ephemeral record of place. I can see him, squinting at the scene before him, trying to get the perspective just right, capturing the essence of the boat and the water with a few swift strokes. I wonder if he knew that his quick sketch would outlive him, allowing us to imagine that scene today. It feels like Oldewelt is inviting us to participate in the act of seeing, sharing his way of looking with us. It reminds me that all mark-making is a type of conversation with the world, a way of exchanging ideas and feelings across time.