Man zittend op een kar op een straat 1890 - 1946

This sketch, Man zittend op een kar op een straat, was made by Cornelis Vreedenburgh sometime in the early 20th century, probably on location. You can see the speed and the searching in those lines. It’s a whole bunch of marks trying to find the thing. I love how the pencil captures the scene: the figure, the buildings, and the street itself, all with an economy of means. Look at the way Vreedenburgh suggests depth with just a few lines indicating perspective. The marks aren't precious, but rather they convey an immediacy. It's like he's saying, "Here's what I saw, and here's how I felt about it." Vreedenburgh's sketch reminds me a little of Van Gogh's drawings. There's a similar energy and directness, a sense of trying to capture the essence of a scene. And that’s what art is all about, right? Not just representation, but also interpretation. It’s not about showing something, but showing your way of seeing.