Lappenpop Susanna zittend op een stoel c. 1904 - 1906

This small sketch of Susanna sitting on a chair was made by Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof, we don't know when, but probably with a graphite pencil. It’s all lines, like a first thought, mapping out the figure and the space, without shading. The thinness of the lines gives it a provisional feel, like he’s just working things out. You can see the quality of the line change, sometimes thick, sometimes scratchy. It reminds me that drawing is a process of feeling your way into the subject, letting the hand and eye work together to discover what’s there. It’s about thinking as making. There’s something about the way Susanna is leaning back, with her legs outstretched, that feels both relaxed and a bit melancholic. It makes me think of other artists like Bonnard, who drew from life, making endless studies of his wife Marthe, who was often depicted in intimate moments of quiet contemplation. The art of drawing allows us to explore all the fleeting moments of life, valuing ambiguity over easy resolution.