Hollandse ooievaar 1876 - 1951

Theo Nieuwenhuis made this quick sketch of a stork, likely with graphite on paper. The staccato marks give the bird form, and the dark scribbles define the tail. I can imagine Nieuwenhuis making this drawing, a study of sorts, perhaps. The quickly drawn lines give the sense that he was trying to capture a fleeting moment, the essence of the bird rather than its exact likeness. I feel him trying to capture the bird’s personality. The beak is heavily shaded, and the legs are two long lines. It reminds me a little of Cy Twombly's sketches. Both artists share a love of line and an understanding of how a few well-placed marks can convey a wealth of information. Artists are always in conversation with one another across time and space, and there is no right or wrong way of seeing, only different perspectives.