Hagedis 1887 - 1924

Julie de Graag made this drawing of a lizard in ink on paper; and straight away, you notice her approach to mark making. The marks are delicate, precise, like a slow dance between observation and careful rendering. The texture feels almost palpable, doesn't it? You can see how the ink settles into the paper, creating subtle variations in tone. Notice the spine of the lizard, how it’s rendered with these broken, dashed lines, implying depth and form. It's a study in contrasts. The sinuous tail, rendered with a smooth, continuous line, grounds the image, while the fragile legs reach out into space. I can’t help but think of other artists who found inspiration in the natural world, like Audubon, maybe? But de Graag’s touch is all her own. She invites us to see the world with fresh eyes, finding beauty in the simplest of forms.