Drie dansende paren in een danstent te Winschoten 1918

Otto Verhagen made this pencil drawing of three dancing couples in Winschoten, probably on the spot, sometime around 1910. Look at how the soft smudges of graphite imply movement, the turns and sways of the dancers. It's not about polished realism; it's about capturing the essence of the dance, the feeling of bodies in motion. The texture of the paper, you can almost feel it, right? And the way Verhagen uses shading to give form to the figures – it's like he’s sculpting with light and shadow. I’m drawn to the legs of the man in the middle, the way they almost fade into the floor. It’s a simple mark, but it suggests so much, like the relentless pulse of the music and the dancers' absorption into the rhythm. This piece reminds me a bit of Degas' pastels of dancers – that same interest in fleeting moments. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art is about exploring, experimenting, and embracing the beauty of imperfection.