Libellen boven bloesem 1876 - 1951

Theo Nieuwenhuis made this watercolour drawing, Libellen boven bloesem – Dragonflies above Blossom – on paper. It's all about flow and the delicate dance between intention and chance. Look at how the pigment kind of bleeds and blooms, especially in the pale blue wash of the leaves, creating soft, dreamy edges. There's a real sense of immediacy, like Nieuwenhuis was trying to capture a fleeting moment. It's not just about the dragonflies and blossoms themselves, but about the air around them, the light, the feeling of a spring day. That loose, sketchy outline of a leaf at the bottom feels like a little glimpse into the artist's process, a reminder that art is often about exploration and discovery, not just about perfect representation. This piece reminds me a bit of Odilon Redon, with its delicate colour palette and dreamlike imagery. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation with itself, echoing and riffing on ideas across time.