Meisje met brief aan een tafel c. 1900 - 1930

Elly Verstijnen made this illustration, "Meisje met brief aan een tafel," using ink on paper. It's a material and process about as simple as you can get, a deliberate choice that gives the image a charmingly childlike quality. The stark black lines on the bright white paper create a high-contrast scene. Verstijnen's drawing is immediate and direct, with a casual, almost off-hand feel. The ink appears to be applied with a fine brush or pen, giving a clear sense of line. Notice how the use of line defines the forms and textures, like the decorative pattern on the curtains, the basketweave holding bread, and the little girl's hair. This kind of illustration would likely have been made quickly, and perhaps for reproduction in a book. But the artist's decisions about line and composition give it a lively, unpretentious appeal. Verstijnen elevates these basic materials and techniques, bridging the gap between everyday illustration and fine art.