Aan het voederen 1874 - 1929

Willem van der Nat made this piece, "Aan het voederen," with crayon on paper. I'm fascinated by the marks on the page; the density and layering, the way they build up the figure, and the subject matter. It feels intimate, like a scene recalled from everyday life. I can imagine the artist’s hand moving quickly, trying to capture a fleeting moment. The woman’s posture, the way she clutches her skirt, it all feels so tentative and vulnerable. I wonder what the artist was thinking as he made this? Was he trying to capture a certain mood or feeling, or was he simply interested in the formal aspects of the composition? The whole scene is rendered with such economy; nothing feels overworked or fussy. It reminds me of a Degas drawing, or maybe even some of Käthe Kollwitz’s prints. Artists are always in conversation with each other. Ultimately, for me, this drawing is a beautiful reminder that art doesn’t always have to be grand or ambitious to be powerful. Sometimes, the simplest gestures can be the most profound.