Danser in traditioneel kostuum 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing of a dancer in traditional costume, and it feels like he was working fast, trying to capture the essence of movement. The lines are so sparse, almost like a shorthand. What’s so interesting about this kind of drawing is the artist has to decide what to leave out. So, what did Stolk think was important? I imagine him watching the dancer, maybe backstage, quickly sketching with charcoal, squinting his eyes to simplify the forms. The costume is all angular geometry and curves. A bold sweep of the arm suggests a swirl, a turn. There’s a real sense of energy here, even though it's just a few marks on paper. It’s like he is looking at the work of other masters and asking what he can bring to the conversation.