Studieblad met honden en vleugels 1884 - 1952

This small study on paper with pencil by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries shows us a delightful collection of dogs and wing-like forms. It reminds me of artists such as Klee who also created miniaturist works on paper. I imagine De Vries sketching in a small notebook in a cafe, working out ideas for a larger piece. He’s looking for the right shapes, the right balance of detail and simplicity. I love the way the dogs are captured with just a few lines, their personalities shining through. The wing, maybe an angel? Maybe a design motif? It is rendered with a playful lightness. The texture of the paper and the delicate graphite marks create a sense of intimacy. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page, searching, discovering. I wonder how many other sketches and ideas he explored before arriving at these particular forms? It reminds us that artmaking is a conversation, an ongoing process of experimentation and refinement.