Straat met een wandelende figuur 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh created this sketch, "Straat met een wandelende figuur," using graphite on paper. The work’s appearance is largely shaped by the qualities of its materials. Note the directness and immediacy conveyed through the graphite medium, with its smudges and soft gradations of tone. It's a quick, on-site impression. This isn't a highly finished academic drawing, but rather a spontaneous response to the urban environment. Consider what Vreedenburgh left out. The choice of graphite, a readily available and inexpensive material, suggests a certain accessibility. Perhaps this was a study for a larger, more polished painting. Or maybe the act of drawing itself was the primary goal. We can see the artistic process at work here, unburdened by the constraints of more formal modes of production. Looking closely at the materials and processes used by artists opens up new avenues of appreciation and allows us to challenge traditional hierarchies within the art world.