De klokkenluider 1921

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this drawing, ‘De klokkenluider’, or ‘The Bellringer’ in English, with crayons and chalk. The colours are amazing! Purples, pinks, reds, yellows, and blues all come together in this dynamic, graphic composition. I love how Holst doesn't just show us the bellringer, but the act of ringing the bell. I imagine him standing there drawing, trying to capture that very moment of exertion. What was he thinking as he made this? Perhaps about labour, about community, about the act of making sound? I feel for this artist, trying to catch something so fleeting. Holst’s choice of materials—crayon and chalk—adds to this sense of immediacy and vulnerability. It is a study, an act of observation and a way to test out an idea. It's like he's saying, "Here's my attempt, my gesture, my way of seeing." And that’s what makes this piece so exciting! Artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring one another, and offering different ways of experiencing the world.