Bomen 1885 - 1931

Willem Bastiaan Tholen made this drawing, 'Bomen', with graphite on paper, and now it lives at the Rijksmuseum. The mark-making is nervous and dense – zig-zagging lines build up a layered effect. I imagine Tholen outside with a sketchbook, quickly capturing the scene before him, trying to get the essence of the trees in a short space of time. These rapid gestures of drawing help me understand the movement of the trees, the density of the forest, and the quality of light. I sympathize with the artist wanting to capture the complexity of the trees and the forest in a way that's fresh, yet full of information. The texture is created by the build-up of lines. There is a sense of urgency about the hand that created this landscape. Painters are constantly building on the work that has come before and I see Tholen’s study as part of that ongoing conversation. Through the embodied expression of drawing we can create multiple readings of a scene.