Zeilboten en een straatgezicht 1849 - 1895

This sketchbook page titled, Zeilboten en een straatgezicht, was rendered in pencil by Willem Koekkoek. The composition juxtaposes a linear street scene with a geometric study of sailboats. The street scene, viewed from above, utilizes linear perspective to convey depth, while the adjacent sailboats are depicted with a focus on angular shapes and structural forms. This division prompts us to consider how Koekkoek constructs reality through differing modes of representation. The street scene offers a representational approach, against the semi-abstract depiction of sailboats that seems to deconstruct the objects into basic geometric components. The materiality of pencil on paper emphasizes the preliminary nature of these sketches, hinting at a process of inquiry. The arrangement challenges our understanding of spatial logic, questioning the interplay between observed reality and conceptual abstraction. Ultimately, this page serves as a reminder that art is not merely a reflection of the world but an active engagement with the very structures that shape our perception of it.