Bezoekers, musici en een serveerster op het terras van Huis ter Duin te Noordwijk 1934 - 1938

Otto Verhagen made this pencil drawing of visitors, musicians, and a waitress on the terrace of Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk. Imagine him there, sketchbook in hand, maybe trying to catch the fleeting gestures of people enjoying themselves. I bet he felt a little like a spy, trying to capture the scene, the jazz, the faces hidden behind sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats. There are only a few strokes of red to denote lipstick. What did he think of these people? I can relate, you know? As painters, we are always trying to steal a little bit of the world and put it on our canvas. This drawing reminds me of Daumier, maybe, or even Degas. What do you think? Artists, we're all just riffing off each other, trying to make sense of the world. And lucky for us, there's always something new to see.