Jongen met geschaafde knieën c. 1925 - 1935

This pen and ink drawing presents a scene of urban discomfort, made by A. Tinbergen. The composition is dominated by the figure of a boy, positioned front and center, with a focus on the rawness of his scraped knees. The artist’s use of stark black lines against the bare paper creates a sense of immediacy, almost as if the scene were sketched in real time. Notice how the rigid lines of the street and buildings contrast with the softer, more erratic lines that define the boy’s form, highlighting his vulnerability. The buildings and carriages in the background seem flat and lifeless. The road surface is suggested with curved, roughly parallel lines, indicating a subtle understanding of perspective. This formal element could suggest not just physical space, but also a psychological space, where the boy’s emotional state is isolated from the structured environment. The drawing uses the visual language of realism to convey a moment of childhood pain, but is also a commentary on the broader social structures that shape such experiences.