Chinese kraanvogel 1876 - 1951

Theo Nieuwenhuis made this drawing of a Chinese crane on paper, and what strikes me is the immediacy, like he just grabbed whatever was nearby and got to work. The pencil lines are wiry, full of energy, almost nervous, but they capture the essence of the bird so well. There's a beautiful simplicity in the way he suggests form with just a few strokes, like the curve of the neck, or the quick scribbles that define the wing. Look at those legs! They're so spindly, but they hold the whole composition up. It reminds me a bit of Matisse's line drawings, that same economy of means, but with its own quirky charm. It's like Nieuwenhuis is saying, "Here's a crane, plain and simple," but in that simplicity, there’s a whole world of observation and feeling. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be complicated to be profound.