Meisje met hond op een straathoek 1915

Nelly Spoor made this drawing of a girl with a dog on a street corner with ink on paper. It’s all about the lines, isn't it? Spoor uses them to define the figures, and to create a sense of depth and shadow. The lines aren't just outlines, but a way of building the form. It's like she's thinking through the act of drawing. Look at the way she draws the dog. It's just a few scribbles, really, but it totally captures the fluffiness and energy of the animal. Or the old woman's face, all those little wrinkles and details. You can see the history in her face, which is amazing. It reminds me a little of some of the early comic strip artists, like Winsor McCay, who were also interested in capturing movement and emotion with simple lines. And like McCay, Spoor's work is full of humour and warmth. It's not trying to be profound, just trying to capture a moment in time. It's a really generous thing, to share that with us.