Ransdorp Church 1910

James McBey sketched this view of Ransdorp Church with ink on paper, using a variety of marks to describe the scene. The quick, fluid lines suggest McBey worked on site, capturing the scene with lively strokes. Look closely, and you'll notice how McBey uses varied pressure to create lines of different thickness and darkness. The darker marks define the architecture of the church in the distance, while the lighter lines add detail to the foreground foliage. I'm drawn to the reeds in the lower left, the way they emerge from the ground with such energy, like a burst of creative impulse. McBey's spontaneous approach reminds me a bit of Whistler's etchings, but with a touch more grit. Like Whistler, McBey embraced the accidental and celebrated the beauty found in everyday scenes. And just as with Whistler, this piece reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, a playful exchange of ideas across time.