Krijgsman met schild, naar een reliëf 1876 - 1951

Theo Nieuwenhuis made this drawing of a warrior with a shield after a relief, using graphite. I really get into drawings like this, where you can see the artist working out their ideas. Look at the shading on the warrior's legs – see how the lines aren't perfectly smooth? It's like Nieuwenhuis is thinking aloud with his pencil. The texture of the paper itself becomes part of the image, catching the graphite and adding a kind of fuzziness, like a memory half-forgotten. I especially love the way he's handled the shield. It's this big, simple form, but the shading gives it weight and depth. It feels like it could actually protect you! Artists like Nieuwenhuis remind us that art is a conversation across time. Think about the raw energy of someone like Basquiat, who also used line so expressively. It's all connected, you know?