Vissende man in een roeiboot 1890 - 1946

Here’s a sketch of a fisherman in a rowboat by Cornelis Vreedenburgh, whereabouts unknown, made using what looks like graphite on paper. The drawing has these really lovely, almost scribbled lines that catch the light just so. See how the shading on the boat gives it volume, but also feels like a quick thought, a fleeting moment captured. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the physical act of drawing, the hand moving across the surface. It feels immediate and intimate, like we're looking over the artist's shoulder as he works. I love the way Vreedenburgh uses these loose lines to suggest form and depth, leaving plenty of room for our imaginations to fill in the blanks. It’s a bit like a conversation, where the artist gives us a starting point, and we, as viewers, get to participate in the creation of the image. It makes me think of Manet, with that same emphasis on capturing the essence of a scene with a few well-placed marks. Art is an ongoing conversation, right?