Muis 1887 - 1924

Julie de Graag made this drawing of a Muis, a mouse, using chalk and graphite, and ink. The palette is pared back - black, white and just a touch of tan on the tail. I can imagine her making this, quickly, decisively. The marks are simple, but it is full of character. What was she thinking? Probably she was thinking like an illustrator, and of Japanese prints, or maybe just of all the mice she had seen in her life, scampering around the studio. I wonder if she kept mice as pets? She must have spent some time observing them. It reminds me a little of woodcuts by artists like Frans Masereel – that same kind of directness and social commentary. It's also like something from a children’s book – that mouse looks kind of friendly, don’t you think? It’s great when an artist can get to the essence of a thing with very little information. You can see how this piece might have inspired other artists to explore simplicity, and humor.