Straatverkoper verkoopt het tijdschrift Gil Blas c. 1900 - 1925

This sketch of a street vendor selling Gil Blas magazine is made with ink on paper. The artist is known only by the initials EK. Just imagine the rapid movements and gestures of the artist here. EK really captures this character in just a few strokes. Look at the repetition of the hatching marks to create tone and shadow. It really brings him to life. The artist clearly had an affinity for the man they depicted. I bet EK was thinking about how hard the vendor works, trying to make a living. See how the artist captures the way he holds the magazine, offering it out to a potential customer. Painters and artists are always talking to each other across time. The mark-making here reminds me of Van Gogh. The immediacy of the line, the empathy for the subject… you can really sense the artist's hand at work.