Landschap met water 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this Landscape with Water. I can imagine him outside with his sketchbook, maybe near some reeds or a riverbank. There's a lovely directness in the marks, the kind that comes from really looking, trying to get something down quickly. It's so simple – just graphite on paper – but you get a real sense of place. I bet he’s thinking about tone, trying to capture the light reflecting on the water, or the weight of those trees. It reminds me of some of the landscape sketches I’ve made, where you're not trying to make a perfect picture, but just trying to understand the structure, the feel of a place. All these artists, like Vreedenburgh, are talking to each other across time, each adding their own voice to the conversation. I'm really touched by the simple, humble way he’s engaging with the world around him.