Notitie 1890 - 1946

This 'Notitie', made by Cornelis Vreedenburgh, is like a whisper of a place. It's got that elusive quality I love, where the surface barely holds an image, hinting at a location with some written words and faint suggestions of form. I imagine Vreedenburgh, maybe on a day not unlike today, quickly capturing a fleeting impression. The surface is so minimal, almost shy, yet those cursive words, noting "Kings Hotel South Place", are so full of certainty. It makes me wonder: what caught his eye? Was it the light, the mood, the shadow? The more I look at it, the more I think about those barely-there images and the confidence of the text. It’s like he’s saying, "Remember this feeling, this place," but also, "Don't get too attached; everything is temporary." It reminds me of Twombly's notebooks, where words and images blur, creating a personal shorthand. Artists like Vreedenburgh and Twombly show us that a painting doesn’t have to shout to be heard; sometimes, the quietest works resonate the loudest.