View on Oberursel 1909

Ferdinand Balzer made "View on Oberursel" with ink and pencil, and what strikes me most is the drawing's dedication to observation. I mean, look how the artist used these humble materials to create an incredible amount of detail. There's this wonderful push and pull between precision and looseness. Balzer is precise with the architecture in the background, where he's carefully outlined the buildings and the church spire. But then, when he gets to the trees, he lets loose with these energetic, scribbly marks that convey the feeling of leaves and branches swaying in the breeze. It reminds me a little of Cezanne’s watercolors; how he could conjure a landscape with just a few well-placed strokes. Both artists show us that art isn't about perfectly replicating reality, but about capturing a feeling, an impression. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation.