Figuren, mogelijk in zee 1881 - 1927

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this work, titled Figuren, mogelijk in zee, using what looks like graphite on paper, though we can't know for sure. I wonder what the moment of inception was for this drawing? Did the artist see something and want to capture it quickly before it was gone? Or was it something that came entirely from his imagination, a memory perhaps? For me, the hatching marks in the background speak to the feeling of being lost in thought, not quite sure where you are or what you're doing. I think it's interesting to see the artist work through the image to find a solution, almost like a puzzle. I imagine him, searching, trying things out, not being afraid to make mistakes. And those are the qualities that make a drawing come alive. The great thing about drawing is that it's immediate, intuitive, and intimate. And that openness is inviting, even now.