Rijnoever bij Vianen 1934 - 1937

Otto Verhagen made this drawing, Rijnoever bij Vianen, on paper, likely in preparation for a painting or to practice his mark-making. I love how the texture is built up in small, repetitive marks, and this speaks to the idea of art-making as a process of accumulation. You can see this in the way Verhagen renders the trees on the right, with short, hatched lines that create a sense of depth and volume. Look at the contrast between the soft, hazy rendering of the trees and the sharp, distinct lines of the posts on the left. It reminds me of how Giorgio Morandi, with his still lifes, also used a restrained palette and simple forms to create a sense of quiet contemplation. Like Morandi, Verhagen invites us to slow down and appreciate the beauty of everyday scenes. There's a humility to this kind of art-making, a willingness to find beauty in the ordinary.