Vogel, mogelijk een parelhoen c. 1883 - 1914

Floris Arntzenius sketched "Vogel, mogelijk een parelhoen," or "Bird, possibly a guineafowl" with delicate pencil lines. The drawing captures the bird’s form with an economy of means. Arntzenius uses a structuralist approach, reducing the figure to its essential lines and shapes. Observe how the curved line defines the bird's back and head, countered by the angular strokes suggesting its beak and legs. These lines create a semiotic system, where each stroke functions as a signifier, contributing to the overall representation of the bird. The negative space around the bird is as important as the drawn lines. This interplay between figure and ground destabilizes a clear distinction between what is present and what is absent. The sketch’s openness challenges fixed interpretations, inviting us to contemplate the bird's essence rather than its detailed depiction.