Twee meisjes spelend met een kat 1831 - 1899

David Bles created this drawing of two girls playing with a cat using pen and brown ink on paper. The artist has made the most of the ink’s fluidity. The image consists of spontaneous lines with very little shading, conveying a sense of dynamic movement between the figures. The thinness of the lines gives a lightness to the forms, almost airy. The medium allows the artist to capture a fleeting moment. We can imagine Bles, sketching rapidly to capture the intimacy between the girls and their playful companion. This contrasts with the laborious processes typically associated with academic painting of the time. By emphasizing the immediate quality of the drawing, Bles is not only representing a scene but also celebrating the act of making, inviting us to appreciate the skill and creativity involved in bringing the image to life.