Straatgezicht met figuren en een reclamebord 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this sketch of a street scene with figures and a billboard, probably on-site. You can see the hurriedness of the lines, as he quickly notes what he sees with ink on paper. I can imagine him standing there, maybe a little self-conscious as he's trying to capture the hustle and bustle of the city. The figures are just these simple lines, but they really evoke the sense of movement, everyone going about their day. He is in a conversation with other artists who try to capture the everyday, like Bonnard or Vuillard, but his quick marks remind me of Guston's late drawings. That billboard, or the buildings in the distance, are so interesting, kind of tilting back into space. You can almost feel the artist trying to capture the essence of the place. It's amazing how much information and energy he conveys with so few marks. It's like he's giving us a glimpse into his own way of seeing the world.