Sint-Pieterskerk te Beesd 1891 - 1895

Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap made this graphite drawing of Sint-Pieterskerk in Beesd, likely en plein air. Graphite is a relatively common and inexpensive material, favored for its accessibility and ease of use, allowing artists to quickly capture the essence of a scene or subject. Here, the artist has used the pencil to create a study with quick, expressive strokes. The soft, grey tones of the graphite give the sketch a sense of immediacy, as if the viewer is witnessing the scene alongside the artist. Look at how Schaap captures the texture of the stone of the church, using cross-hatching to suggest depth and shadow. The surrounding vegetation is rendered with looser, more gestural marks, contrasting with the solid form of the church. In its apparent simplicity, this sketch privileges the act of looking, marking the artist's presence in a specific time and place. The choice of graphite as a medium emphasizes the importance of process and direct engagement with the subject. This challenges traditional hierarchies of art-making, suggesting that value lies not only in the finished product, but also in the artist's intimate connection with the world around them.