Stoomschip aan een kade gezien vanaf een terras c. 1936

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this sketch of a steamship at a quay, seen from a terrace, with pencil on paper. It’s all about the immediacy of the line. You can almost see the artist making decisions in real-time. The texture of the paper is so important here. See how Vreedenburgh lets the tooth of the paper break up the pencil strokes? It creates a kind of shimmering effect, like the heat rising off the dock. I love how he captures the essence of the scene with so few lines. It’s a lesson in efficiency, you know? Every mark counts. Look at the cluster of figures on the right. Those tiny scribbles suggest so much movement and energy. It reminds me of some of Whistler’s etchings, or maybe even a quick study by Manet. It’s like he’s saying, "Here’s the world, in all its fleeting glory.” The confidence of the hand, and the honesty of the eye. That's what really grabs me.