Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 8 recto 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this faint pencil transfer drawing, or rubbing, the ‘Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 8 recto’, sometime in his life. I love transfer drawings – they are like ghostly echoes of a previous act. In this work, it seems the artist was trying to capture something elusive. See how the smudged lines create a sense of depth, even though the image itself is so delicate? It’s like a memory fading in and out of focus. Pencil, when used in this way, can be so ephemeral. Think of other artists who captured the fleeting moment, like Whistler with his atmospheric nocturnes, or even Gerhard Richter and his blurred photographs – all trying to grasp something just beyond reach. This piece is a quiet reminder that art doesn't always have to shout, sometimes the most powerful statements are whispered.