Figuren op het strand 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing called 'Figures on the Beach' with pen and ink, probably in a sketchbook. I love how direct and immediate a drawing can be—it's like the artist is thinking right in front of you, the pen just skittering across the page to capture a scene, a moment. You can almost feel the breeze and hear the distant sounds of a day at the beach, can't you? Vreedenburgh's hand moves quickly, outlining figures, capturing gestures and postures, all with an economy of means. Look at how he suggests forms with just a few lines. It reminds me of some of Guston's late drawings, the way they both find a kind of poetry in simplicity. Drawing is such a direct way to record the world, but it's also a way to reimagine it. Every artist is in dialogue with those who came before, building on traditions and pushing against them. It's through this constant exchange of ideas that art evolves, changes, and continues to surprise us.