Schoorstenen op daken 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this study of rooftops with pen and ink. It's a quick, simple sketch – the kind that artists do to capture a scene or idea rapidly. What's interesting here is the contrast between the straightforwardness of the materials and the complexity of what’s being depicted. Chimneys are, after all, products of intense labor and industry, extensions of the hearth which in turn is fuelled by coal mining or forestry. Think of all the work, skill, and infrastructure that goes into keeping those chimneys smoking. Vreedenburgh’s sketch reduces all of that to a few lines on paper. In doing so, it allows us to reflect on how even the most humble drawing can evoke a much larger story about society, labor, and the built environment. It reminds us that art is not just about the finished product, but also about the processes and contexts that shape it.