Schepen op open water before 1901

This tiny artwork, Schepen op open water, was made by Bruno Schmidt sometime between 1858 and 1919. I love how Schmidt used these graphic marks to suggest the openness of the sea. I'm just imagining Schmidt, way back then, maybe on some kind of boat himself, sketching in the moment. It’s like he’s thinking through the scene, trying to catch the feeling of the sea, the mood of the ships. You know? The way he’s used these little strokes, they’re not just lines, they’re almost like feelings made visible. I can really sense the influence of other artists— the push and pull that always happens when you're trying to figure out your own way of seeing. And that's how art moves forward. It’s all one big conversation, artists talking to each other across time, inspiring each other.