Gezicht op Tószeg 1928

Albert van Giffen made this line drawing of Gezicht op Tószeg, with what appears to be graphite on paper. There's a freedom in the quick, light lines that suggests the artist capturing a fleeting impression, much like a visual note jotted down on the go. The texture of the paper peeks through, becoming part of the artwork. I can almost feel the grain under my own fingertips. The details aren’t labored over, they're suggested—the roofs, the trees, the church spire. It's as if van Giffen is letting our eyes fill in the blanks, inviting us to co-create the scene. Look at how he renders the rooftops with simple triangles. These almost childlike shapes give the piece a sense of naive charm. It reminds me of some of Alfred Kubin's more subdued drawings, but with a Dutch sensibility. The beauty lies not in perfection, but in the raw, unfiltered act of seeing and recording.