Ship's Sternpiece 1935 - 1942

Cornelius Christoffels created this watercolor drawing of a ship's sternpiece. I wonder about Christoffels when he made this. Did he think of it as a study, a cartoon for something bigger, or a painting in its own right? It has that golden hue, like it was dipped in honey, though that could just be the varnish over time. The eagle is striking! I think about the wing, how each feather is carefully considered. The layering gives it a sense of depth and volume. It reminds me of James Ensor’s obsessive mark making, where repeated strokes build into a kind of shimmering surface. You can see the confidence in the artist’s hand, especially in the subtle variations of the golden paint. The surface tension holds your gaze. It’s kind of a dance between control and freedom, isn't it?