Gezicht op de Zuidkolk te Delft 1907

Willem Cornelis Rip made this graphite drawing, Gezicht op de Zuidkolk te Delft, directly into a sketchbook. There’s a real sense of movement and energy, like he’s capturing the scene as it unfolds. Look at how Rip uses the graphite to create different textures. The strokes are light and feathery in some areas, like the trees and clouds, and darker and more defined in others, like the buildings and boats. It's like he's using the graphite to sculpt the scene. The drawing is all about capturing a fleeting moment, the light on the water, the hustle and bustle of the harbor. See the way Rip suggests depth and distance, how the buildings fade into the background, and how the boats seem to float on the water. Rip's use of a sketchbook reminds me of other artists, like Constable, who used sketchbooks to record their observations of the natural world. I think art is this continuous conversation, artists building upon each other's ideas and techniques, and I love that.