Gezicht op Italiaanse huizen in bergachtig landschap 1936

Reijer Stolk made this drawing of Italian houses nestled in a mountainous landscape with colored pencils, but it feels like more than just a drawing. The way Stolk uses color is really interesting. It’s not about making a realistic picture; it’s more like the colors are building the forms. Look at the trees, they’re almost scribbled in, with greens, blues, and yellows all mixed up. It’s a super active surface, every bit of it alive with texture. Even the houses have this scribbled energy. Focus on the way the rooftops are rendered – they are built up from layers of marks made with different colored pencils. It's a reminder that art is about the joy of seeing and making, and that sometimes, the most interesting things happen when we let go of perfection. You can really see Stolk’s hand in the making. Maybe he saw the world like this, buzzing with life and color.