Omheinde weide 1890 - 1946

This sketch, Omheinde weide, was made by Cornelis Vreedenburgh. The pencil is used in such a way to suggest a figure, and perhaps a landscape. It’s a method of artmaking that focuses on the doing, not just the end result. The texture of the paper is so important here, because the artist allows it to shine through. The marks feel so immediate and responsive, like Vreedenburgh was trying to capture a fleeting thought. Look at the bottom left, the squiggles that suggest a seated figure, or an animal lying down, captured in just a few strokes. It’s so understated, yet so evocative. It reminds me of Cy Twombly, in the way that the apparent simplicity of the marks belies a deeper complexity and sophistication. Ultimately, art’s about embracing the unresolved, the ambiguous, the stuff that resists easy answers.