Staande vrouw met een schep c. 1922 - 1925

Otto Verhagen made this drawing, "Standing Woman with a Shovel" with what looks like a graphite pencil. Notice how the lines are tentative, almost like Verhagen is feeling his way around the form. It's like he's not quite sure where he's going, but he's enjoying the process of getting there. The texture is delicate, almost ephemeral. The lines are thin and light, barely there on the page. But there's a real sense of physicality to the way the woman is standing, the way she's holding the shovel. Her feet are planted firmly on the ground, and she seems ready to get to work. Look closely at the shovel itself. It's just a few quick strokes, but it's so effective in conveying the object's weight and purpose. This reminds me of some of the early sketches by Van Gogh, where he's just trying to capture the essence of a person or a scene. It's not about perfection or realism, it's about capturing a feeling, a moment in time. Art is a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas.