Studieblad met eenden 1887 - 1924

Julie de Graag made this study sheet of ducks with a graphite pencil on paper. What a delight it must have been for her to sit and watch these creatures, capturing their forms, their movements, their very essence, with simple lines. I can imagine Julie in the act of drawing, her hand moving swiftly across the page, chasing after the ducks as they waddle, swim, and preen. You can almost see the ghost of previous attempts, where she’s felt her way into the final composition. It’s a dance between observation and intuition, with each line carrying the weight of her gaze and her understanding. The surface has a grainy texture, which gives depth to the flat page. These quick, unburdened sketches recall similar studies of animals by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, who was similarly fascinated by the natural world. In the end, art comes down to that kind of conversation. The impulse to draw, to document, to understand, remains a constant throughout time.