Dennenbos, met twee wandelende dames 1892 - 1916

Rik Wouters made this drawing of a pine forest with two walking ladies using pen and ink on paper, but the date is unknown. The drawing style here, all loosey-goosey and gestural, really puts the emphasis on process. It’s like the artist is thinking out loud with his pen, and we get to eavesdrop. The marks are quick, energetic, almost scribbly in places, which gives the whole scene a sense of lively movement. You can almost feel the breeze rustling through the trees. I’m particularly drawn to the way Wouters uses line weight here. He varies the thickness of the lines to create depth and texture, making the trees feel more solid and three-dimensional. It’s like he’s sculpting with ink. It puts me in mind of Matisse’s drawings, especially the way he captures form with such minimal means. Both artists have this incredible ability to suggest volume and space with just a few well-placed lines, transforming the paper into a world of its own. It's like they are having a conversation through marks.