Twee mannen in een roeiboot naast een schelpenvisser 1914 - 1916

Willem Cornelis Rip made this drawing of two men in a rowboat next to a shellfish fisherman using graphite, or charcoal, on paper. The piece feels immediate, caught in the moment. Look closely, and you can see the way Rip has built up the image with layers of smudged lines. The surface has a kind of blurry texture that softens the edges of things. It is clear Rip is interested in the tonal gradations that can be achieved with the medium, creating depth and volume in the boat and the figures through subtle shifts in value. Check out the reflections in the water, see how those marks capture the way light flickers and dances on the surface, adding another layer of depth. This reminds me a bit of James McNeill Whistler's nocturnes, where the subject is less important than the overall mood and atmosphere. Like Whistler, Rip uses a limited palette and loose, gestural marks to evoke a sense of quiet contemplation. It feels like art is this ongoing exchange of ideas.