Op de trap van een veilinghuis Possibly 1905

This anonymous drawing, ‘Op de trap van een veilinghuis’ captures a moment of chaos with simple lines and stark contrasts. The artist's hand is evident in the hurried strokes that build form, a real sense of immediacy. Check out the shards of pottery scattered across the steps. Each fragment is delineated with care, their sharp edges and irregular shapes creating a dynamic pattern that draws the eye. See how those little shards lead you up to the fallen woman, and then up again to the angry guy, who is holding his hat like he’s gonna clobber someone. There’s a funny balance between the flat, graphic style and the implied depth of the staircase. It’s like the artist is juggling representation and abstraction, and I think that it’s great. It reminds me of the graphic work of Philip Guston, who was also interested in a sort of cartoonish way of depicting everyday life. Art is just an ongoing conversation, isn't it?