Jongen en meisje met een schoen 1896 - 1937

Dora Struick du Moulin made this drawing of a boy and girl with a shoe using ink on paper. It looks like a quick sketch, where the artist is working out the composition as she goes. I love that! The lines are thin, but they vary in pressure, giving a sense of light and shadow. The boy's striped suit is rendered with short, hatching lines, while the girl's coat is more simply outlined. I like how the artist uses these lines to create texture and pattern, bringing our attention to the surface of the drawing. Take a look at the way she has drawn the face of the boy. These are simple, almost childlike marks, but the sense of character is palpable. This is what great art is all about. The drawing has a charming simplicity, reminiscent of children's book illustrations of the time, like Kate Greenaway's. But Struick du Moulin brings her own unique perspective to this classic subject. It's a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, each artist building upon the work of those who came before.