Jan en Joost op een zolderkamer before 1926

This intimate scene of two young men in an attic room has been rendered in watercolor, with delicate touches of ink, by Anny Leusink. I really like the quiet, domestic quality to this drawing. The artist uses a limited palette of blues and blacks, which creates a cohesive, slightly melancholy atmosphere. I can imagine Anny Leusink’s careful consideration of each brushstroke, building up the scene layer by layer; the translucent watercolor washes create depth and shadow. It feels like she wants us to lean in, to wonder about the relationship between these figures. Is there tension? Affection? Think of Dutch interiors by artists like Vermeer, and the way they convey a sense of interiority and quiet reflection. The artist is inviting us to contemplate the subtle narratives of everyday life and the emotional states of its inhabitants.