Ontwerp voor raam in het Noordertransept in de Dom te Utrecht c. 1934

This design for a stained-glass window in Utrecht's cathedral, by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, uses gouache and crayon to describe light, filtering and solidifying as colour. The palette here feels earthy, like sepia photographs or a cloudy day, and the stark black lines both divide and hold everything together, a bit like lead in a stained-glass window. Look at how Roland Holst has built up layers of brown and black crayon, letting the texture of the paper peek through. It’s a great example of how artmaking is a process, a conversation between the artist, their materials, and the image taking shape. The dark brown, almost chocolatey, hues give the design a weighty, grounding feel, while the small touches of red and blue add a spark of energy, preventing it from becoming too somber. I'm reminded of the graphic power of Kathe Kollwitz, another artist who wasn't afraid to use darkness to convey depth and emotion. Both artists remind us that art isn't always about easy answers or pretty pictures; it's about grappling with the complexities of life and finding beauty in unexpected places.