Ophaalbrug over een kanaal in een stad 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this pencil sketch of a canal bridge, maybe en plein air, judging from the loose hatching. It's all about mark-making, isn't it? The way the graphite sits on the paper, sometimes dark and definite, other times light and airy, it is the artist exploring the world through touch. Look at the way he suggests the texture of the brickwork on the buildings, or the delicate lines capturing the rigging of the bridge; each stroke is a decision, a response to the world. And then there's that bush on the right, almost scribbled in, a flurry of marks that somehow convey the essence of foliage. It's like Vreedenburgh is saying, "Here is what I see, here is how I feel about it." I can't help but think of Guston's late drawings, there’s a shared intimacy of observation, a celebration of the everyday. Art isn't about perfection; it's about the conversation, the exchange of ideas, and the joy of seeing.