Studie van drie meisjes, zittend aan een tafel 1871 - 1942

Johannes Evert Akkeringa made this pencil drawing of three girls sitting at a table, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century, but we don’t know exactly when. I wonder what it was like to be Akkeringa, sketching away, trying to capture that moment, that light, those particular folds in their dresses. You can see the marks he made, light and quick, as if he’s trying to catch something fleeting. It’s like he’s saying, “Wait, hold still, let me just get this down.” I love the way he uses all those little lines to create depth and shadow. And the girls! They’re so focused on whatever they’re doing, completely unaware that they’re being watched, being drawn. It reminds me of Degas, with his dancers, capturing these private, intimate moments. It’s like he’s inviting us to be a part of their world, to share in their quiet, everyday lives.