Figuren op het strand 1881 - 1927

Here we have ‘Figures on the Beach’ by Johan Antonie de Jonge, made with what looks like pastel, maybe chalk. The colour palette is muted and soft, making it feel as though the artist is recording a moment in time. I'm drawn to the marks of the pastels here, look closely and you'll notice the grainy texture of each stroke, capturing the light. The figures aren't sharply defined, they're suggested with a few strokes, but there's a real sense of presence. The artist really captures the mood and atmosphere of a day at the beach. Take the figure standing in the center, for example. Her dress is a pale red, achieved through quick, layered strokes of pastel. There’s no hard outline, just the suggestion of a form catching the light. De Jonge’s work reminds me of that of Bonnard or Vuillard. All of them were involved in capturing moments in time. Like them, De Jonge embraces art as an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time.