Sleepboot op de Maas 1885 - 1931

Frederika Henriëtte Broeksmit made this drawing of a tugboat on the Maas, probably in the early 20th century, using pencil on paper. The approach to mark making here is really interesting, it’s like she's feeling her way through the scene, letting the image emerge from a flurry of lines. I love how the materiality of the pencil comes through. The texture of the paper, combined with the varying pressure of the pencil, creates a sense of depth and atmosphere, particularly around the steam emerging from the tugboat's chimney. It almost dissolves into the sky, doesn’t it? The physical act of drawing becomes a way of understanding and interpreting the world. Look at that one vertical line to the right, though, it's almost like a mistake, a forgotten guideline. But maybe it’s not? Thinking of other artists who capture this kind of gestural energy, someone like Cy Twombly comes to mind, who used line in a similarly expressive way. Ultimately, this drawing is about embracing the messy, imperfect nature of artmaking. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, not a lecture.