Jongeman leest een boek aan een tafel 1933

F. Ockerse made this drawing of a young man reading at a table in 1953, likely with ink on paper. I love the unassuming nature of the drawing and the way Ockerse renders the scene with such sensitivity. Look at the lines. See how some are darker and more defined, while others are light and almost tentative, like he’s feeling his way around the form? I like how the cross-hatching on the boy’s trousers adds depth without feeling overworked, it's more suggestive. It's like Ockerse is inviting us to fill in the gaps with our imagination, to almost co-create the image. And that world map in the background. It's so roughly drawn, yet it gives such a strong sense of place. It reminds me of how Giorgio Morandi’s paintings of bottles have such a sense of intimacy. Both artists manage to turn the mundane into something deeply personal and resonant. I love that!