Laren en Blaricum 1915

Jan Fekkes made this landscape, Laren en Blaricum, using graphite to capture a sweeping view. Notice how he's built the scene through layers of marks, a real testament to process. There's something so captivating about the textures he's created, especially in the foreground crops, each one a collection of tiny, energetic strokes. Those marks are laid down to create a sense of volume, drawing you into the composition. The graphite feels almost velvety, soft and inviting despite the precision of the lines. The light is soft, and almost obscures the forms towards the back, but these forms are given definition from the direction of the marks. Fekkes's attention to detail reminds me of the meticulous approach of someone like Dürer, but with a softer touch, which is all about the intimacy and care that go into looking. Art isn't about fixed meanings, but about opening up new ways of seeing and feeling.