Schepen bij een brug 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this pencil sketch called 'Schepen bij een brug' – Ships by a bridge – at an unknown date. It's full of these light, searching marks, like he’s feeling his way through the scene, figuring it out as he goes. You can really see the artmaking process here. The texture of the paper itself plays a big part. The pencil drags and skips across the surface, creating a kind of shimmer. The lines describing the boats and buildings aren’t solid; they're made of these little dashes and scribbles. There’s a looseness, an openness to interpretation. Look at the way he suggests the reflections in the water with just a few quick strokes. It’s not about capturing every detail, but about conveying the essence of the scene. That dark patch representing the bridge is like a solid anchor in this world of impermanence, and it gives the eye a place to rest. You see this kind of immediacy in other artists too, like Boudin, who also loved capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Ultimately, it is the feeling of the moment that lives on in the work.