Vier staande heiligen before 1917

This delicate drawing of four standing saints was made by Matthijs Maris in the late 19th Century. The way the subtle pencil lines bring these figures into being, emerging from the paper, makes me think about the act of drawing itself. I imagine Maris, stepping back, squinting, constantly adjusting his gaze. The act of creation is like a dance, where each line is a step, a response to the previous one. The thin strokes feel tentative, almost searching, as if the artist is trying to capture not just the likeness of these figures, but some kind of ethereal essence. Look at the gentle way he’s suggested the folds of their robes, or the tilt of a head, there's a real tenderness to the observation here. It’s a bit like when you are trying to catch a dream as it fades upon waking. Maris is in dialogue with artists of the past, reimagining old archetypes, imbuing them with a quiet sensitivity. It’s a reminder that art-making is a process of constant conversation, each artist building upon the foundations laid by those who came before, each artwork open to infinite interpretation.