Triomfboog c. 1901

This is ‘Triomfboog’, a pencil drawing by Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof. Just looking at the image, you can almost feel the artist sketching, watching as the lines slowly build up the structure, bit by bit, through trial and error. You know, when I look at this, I imagine Dijsselhof thinking about ancient architecture and its details. Perhaps he was thinking of an archway he saw in Rome, or just maybe he was letting his imagination run wild, doodling ideas. There's a playful quality to the work, a sense of curiosity in those repeated curved lines. Dijsselhof’s drawing feels connected to other artists who also play with architectural form, like Piranesi, but more intimate and exploratory. It makes me think about how artists through time are always bouncing ideas off each other, reimagining history in their own way. It's this continuous conversation that keeps art alive!