Zijaanzicht van een kerk met een poort 1869 - 1941

This is a pencil drawing by Johannes Abraham Mondt, titled 'Zijaanzicht van een kerk met een poort'. Look at how Mondt uses line to build up this church, it’s all about the process of observation and mark making. The texture is smooth, the lines are soft; everything feels tentative, like a fleeting impression. See how the columns of the gateway are rendered with such simple strokes, yet they evoke a sense of depth and space. The whole drawing has a lovely, unfinished quality. It’s as if Mondt wants us to see the bones of the building, the underlying structure. For me, this piece has a kinship with the early architectural drawings of someone like Frank Gehry – not in style, but in the shared interest in deconstructing and reimagining built form. Mondt reminds us that art doesn’t always need to be polished or complete.