Montelbaanstoren te Amsterdam 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this sketch of the Montelbaanstoren in Amsterdam sometime between 1880 and 1946. You can see how he built up the image with these light, feathery pencil strokes. It’s like he's feeling his way around the form, trying to capture not just how it looks, but maybe how it feels to be there, looking up at this tower. I imagine Vreedenburgh standing there, sketchbook in hand, squinting at the tower, trying to get the perspective right. He starts with a few tentative lines, then adds more, building up the shadows and details. Look at the way he's used hatching to create depth. There’s a real sense of atmosphere, like you can almost feel the cool air coming off the canal. It reminds me of other artists, like the impressionists, who were also trying to capture a fleeting moment in time. Except instead of daubs of color, Vreedenburgh is using these delicate pencil lines. Ultimately it is a kind of conversation isn't it? We learn how to see through each other's work.