Schepen op een werfhelling 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing, Schepen op een werfhelling, with graphite on paper. It’s like a jumble of lines, isn't it? At first glance, almost chaotic. But, hang on, give it a minute. I can feel Stolk here, figuring things out, one line at a time, trying to capture the essence of these ships in the making. He's using the whole page. I can imagine him there, probably on site at the shipyard, quickly trying to get it all down, feeling the energy of the place. Each mark on the page—thin, dark, light—it's like a little clue. I wonder if he was thinking of other drawings? I'm thinking of Giacometti's sketches—searching, tentative, and always honest. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfect representations, but about process and discovery. And it's about an artist in conversation with others, across time, inspiring and challenging each other.