Figuur rijdend op een ezel c. 1916

This light pencil sketch of a figure riding a donkey was made by Reijer Stolk. The artist's hand moved so quickly, and the lines feel urgent! Some marks are darker, committing to a form. Others are lighter, searching and mapping out possibilities. I can almost feel the pressure of the pencil on the page. I wonder if Stolk was trying to capture a fleeting moment, a memory, or an observation of everyday life? Perhaps he was interested in the contrast between the human figure and the animal, or the textures of their bodies. I see a dance of form and line, but it is also a starting point, which opens up a space of imagination for both the artist and the viewer. It reminds me that the act of creation is an ongoing exploration, an exchange of ideas across time that embraces ambiguity.