Flower Market Possibly 1917

Theo Colenbrander made this drawing of a flower market with pencil and watercolor. He’s divided his subject up into geometric shapes, the lines thick and sure. Within them, we see a muted palette, but the odd splash of red jumps out. The paint itself is applied in flat washes, really controlled, so the texture comes from the paper. But the way he’s used the pencil line gives everything a kind of stained glass feel, like he’s built the drawing up from smaller components, like a puzzle. Look at the top right of the piece where he's made some notes in the same colour as the drawing. It makes me think he was actively working out what the image should be as he drew it. Colenbrander’s drawing reminds me a bit of Sonia Delaunay, with its playful approach to form and colour. It’s about possibilities, not answers.