Verstopte jongen wordt ontdekt 1885 - 1938

Gillis Bernhard Mulder made this pen drawing, Verstopte jongen wordt ontdekt, which roughly translates as Hidden Boy Discovered. I love the economy of line here. Each stroke feels incredibly deliberate, building up volume and texture with such precision. It’s like watching a master sculptor at work, but with ink. The scene unfolds in a domestic interior, animated by the discovery of the hidden boy. Look at how Mulder varies the density of his lines to suggest light and shadow, creating a real sense of depth. The dog in the foreground, with its eager posture and carefully delineated fur, is a highlight for me. The texture is palpable, achieved through a beautiful layering of short, sharp marks. This piece reminds me a little of Honoré Daumier, with its focus on everyday life and its sharp social observations. But Mulder brings his own unique sensibility to the genre, creating a drawing that is both technically accomplished and deeply human. It’s a drawing that understands that art is as much about hiding as it is about revealing.