Boomstudie 1873 - 1932

Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff made this drawing of a tree, called 'Boomstudie', with graphite on paper. The drawing is a study in lines, like a choreography. Imagine the artist, standing there, pencil in hand, trying to capture the essence of this tree. What was he thinking? What was he feeling? The trunk is rendered with dense, scribbled marks, as if he’s trying to grasp the tree’s solidity, its weight, and its deep connection to the earth. The building sits further back, a flat series of lines, like a backdrop in a theater. There’s a tenderness to it, a real appreciation for the subject. But what really strikes me is the area to the right of the tree which the artist has chosen to leave blank; it opens a space of imagination around the artwork, as though the artist is in conversation with the viewer to complete the piece. All artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.