Freddy zit naast haar tante op een bank before 1948

This illustration by Hans Borrebach seems to be all about line, with some lovely washes of blues, grays, and blacks. I can imagine him working quickly, capturing the feeling of the scene with just a few strokes. It's as though Borrebach is thinking about how much information he can leave out while still describing these figures and their relationship, Freddy and his aunt sitting on a couch. What did the artist think, while making it? Do Freddy and his aunt like each other? The line that describes the shape of the women's bodies and clothing has so much expression, especially the swooping lines that make up the folds of their dresses. It reminds me of the work of other artists, like Toulouse Lautrec, who could say so much with so little. All artists engage in this form of expression, using ambiguity and uncertainty to open multiple interpretations.