Twee zeilboten bij een aanlegsteiger 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing of two sailboats at a landing stage with graphite on paper. Here, the art-making process feels really immediate. The artist seems to have been trying to capture the essence of the scene, rather than creating a detailed representation. The marks are quick and gestural, with a kind of shorthand for shapes and forms. It feels like the boats and the dock were drawn with just a few strokes. I'm drawn to the way Vreedenburgh used line to suggest form and space. There's a real sense of depth, even though it's a very simple drawing. Look at the darker marks around the boats. They almost seem to vibrate against the white of the paper. It reminds me a bit of the early work of the American artist Cy Twombly, who also used loose, gestural marks to create a sense of movement and energy. Both artists really demonstrate how art is an ongoing dialogue. Each artist builds upon what came before, offering their unique perspective. It all reminds us that art is more about questions than answers.