Brug over een gracht 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing of a bridge over a canal using what looks like a graphite pencil. Imagine him standing there, maybe a little cold, squinting at the scene before him. It’s all about the quick marks isn't it? The light touch he gives the forms, the weight and speed of his hand as it captures just the slightest detail. You can see how he's trying to get a handle on the depth of the architecture but it’s almost as though he is not interested in replicating the scene, but rather, the experience of being there. It makes me think of Agnes Martin's pencil drawings – so different in style, but both are artists using a simple tool to create a sense of place that resonates. I think he wants to say something about structure, but also about the fleeting moment. It feels honest, like a conversation between the artist and the world, each mark a response to what he sees and feels. And that's what makes it so alive, even now.