Wandelende jongen met een speelgoedauto c. 1928 - 1941

Miep de Feijter made this drawing, Wandelende jongen met een speelgoedauto, with pen on paper. It's the kind of drawing that almost feels like a memory, rendered in a way that embraces the sketchiness of thought. The material aspect of this piece is all about the line. De Feijter uses a delicate hatching technique to build up tone and texture, especially in the boy’s coat and the brickwork, giving the impression of a vintage photograph or illustration. Look at the way the pen never really settles, there is a slight shakiness in the line, creating a sense of movement, a sort of dreamy quality. This makes me think of artists like George Grosz, who used line in a similarly expressive way to capture the anxieties and absurdities of their time. But where Grosz is sharp and critical, de Feijter feels softer, more nostalgic. Ultimately it’s a sweet scene, but its the drawing style that makes it so engaging, embracing imperfection and suggesting the beauty of lived experience.