Patroon van rietstengels en rechte lijnen c. 1894

This drawing by Julie de Graag presents a subtle interplay of form and texture. The delicate graphite lines sketch out a pattern of what appear to be reed stems, juxtaposed with the implied geometry of straight lines. De Graag’s work here sits at an intersection between naturalism and abstraction. The organic forms of the reeds, rendered with a soft, almost ephemeral touch, are placed in dialogue with the rigid structure suggested by the title. The composition teases out a tension between the spontaneous and the controlled. This tension speaks to broader artistic concerns of the period. The use of such restrained and minimal marks on the page invites us to consider the semiotic weight of each stroke, and the balance between what is depicted and what remains unsaid. By engaging with these elements, de Graag destabilizes any fixed meaning. The drawing thus becomes a site for an ongoing and evolving visual dialogue.