Krab bij een schelp c. 1916

Reijer Stolk made this sketch of a crab near a shell using a graphite pencil. Look at the density of the grey marks, some are quite dark, others light and feathery, and imagine how Stolk’s hand moved across the page, building up the image bit by bit, searching for the form in the tone. I feel for Stolk making this sketch! I know the feeling of trying to capture something in a drawing. The way the crab's legs curl and reach out, there's a sense of movement and tension. I like how he used the shading to create depth and volume, especially in the shell area. The lines aren't precious, they're exploratory. It's like he’s trying to figure out what a crab even *is* as he's drawing it! It reminds me of other natural history drawings, that attempt to get into the mind of other species, trying to picture a crab’s-eye view.