Huis Bergoord bij Oosterbeek c. 1864 - 1865

Maria Vos made this drawing of Huis Bergoord near Oosterbeek with graphite on paper. Look closely, and you'll see it’s not just an image of a house, but also an intimate record of Vos’s close observation, skillfully translated by her hand. The graphite gives the scene a soft, almost dreamlike quality. Notice how she varies the pressure to create depth, capturing the subtle gradations of light and shadow. Graphite, like charcoal, is such a direct medium; it allows for a very intimate connection between the artist’s intention and the surface of the paper. What really holds my attention is how Vos has used what appears to be just a simple pencil to capture not just the appearance of the house, but the feeling of the place itself. Through the directness of the medium, we get a sense of the artist's own experience of being there, sketching, and seeing. It serves as a reminder that materials and techniques can transform an ordinary scene into something truly special.