Staande vrouw in een baljurk c. 1916

This standing woman in a ballgown was drawn by Reijer Stolk, though we don’t know exactly when. It’s a very light, delicate graphite sketch. What I love here is the economy of line. It's all about gesture, isn't it? Look at how Stolk captures the volume of the dress with just a few strokes. See the loops and swirls suggesting fabric and movement? And the almost mathematical precision of the cross-hatching pattern? It’s like he’s mapping out the space, not just drawing a dress. It reminds me of a Cy Twombly painting, all scrawls and scribbles, but somehow conveying a sense of history and elegance. You can almost hear the rustle of silk and the chatter of a ballroom. It’s a reminder that sometimes the simplest marks can evoke the most complex emotions and ideas. Art isn't always about perfection; it's about suggestion, imagination, and leaving space for the viewer to fill in the gaps.