Singel te Utrecht 1875 - 1938

Leo Klein von Diepold made this scene of the Singel canal in Utrecht, probably with some kind of graphite pencil or crayon. Look at how he approaches the marks here, so many short, quick lines all bunched together. It gives everything this almost hazy effect, like the whole scene is shimmering. I love how he captures the reflections in the water – these vertical streaks that almost seem to dissolve into the surface. If you look closely, you can see how the texture of the paper comes through, adding another layer of complexity to the image. Especially at the edges where the canal meets the banks on either side - you can see every stroke he makes. It reminds me a little of Whistler’s nocturnes, with that same interest in capturing a mood or atmosphere rather than a precise depiction of reality. It’s like Klein von Diepold is more interested in the process of seeing than in showing us exactly what’s there. And maybe that’s what all art is, when you get right down to it.