Studies c. 1901

This sketch called "Studies" was made by Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof. We don’t know exactly when it was made, but it’s all about process. I love that the artist used lined paper for this, like it was the closest thing to hand! We can see a table leg, maybe, or other elements of furniture in light pencil marks. The lines are kind of tentative and searching, like the artist is thinking through the form as they go. Check out how the top of the leg is more detailed. It’s almost as if Dijsselhof is more interested in that flourish than the rest of the design. This feels like a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, and that even studies and sketches can be beautiful in their own right, inviting us to appreciate the beauty of ambiguity and multiple possibilities. It reminds me a bit of some of the early drawings by Van de Velde.