Visser aan de Kralingsche Veer 1934 - 1938

Otto Verhagen made this pencil drawing titled 'Visser aan de Kralingsche Veer' on August 14th, 1934, and it feels like such a spontaneous capturing of a moment. You can almost feel the rain coming down. The whole drawing is about mark-making – these repeated strokes and scratches which build up the image in layers, creating a real sense of depth. Look at how the repeated vertical marks in the sky create this incredible, moody atmosphere. Then, notice how the marks become horizontal to describe the landscape. It’s kind of amazing what you can do with a pencil, right? The whole piece is underpinned by Verhagen's keen observation of the world, reminding me a little bit of Van Gogh’s drawings. There’s the same sense of immediacy, and of the artist wanting to capture a fleeting moment in time. Ultimately, art is about opening a space of possibilities, an ongoing exchange of ideas which embraces multiple interpretations.