Meisje en fluitspeler in bos 1901

Simon Moulijn made this small drawing of a girl and a flute player in the woods with graphite on paper. The monochromatic palette gives it a timeless quality, like a memory half-recalled. Look closely and you'll see the marks are applied with incredible precision. Moulijn uses tiny strokes to build up the forms, layering the graphite to create a sense of depth and shadow. The texture of the paper becomes part of the image, adding a subtle graininess to the scene. Notice the way he renders the trees: each branch and leaf is carefully articulated, yet the overall effect is one of airy lightness. It's as though he's capturing the feeling of being in the woods, the way the light filters through the leaves and dances on the ground. There's a quiet intimacy to this scene. It reminds me a bit of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who found beauty in the everyday. Like her, Moulijn invites us to slow down and appreciate the simple pleasures of life.