Zeilschip en een zeil 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this drawing, Zeilschip en een zeil, with graphite on paper. As you can see, the artist’s hand is evident here. Vreedenburgh used a humble material, graphite, to build up tone and depth on the page, in an exercise to capture a moment in time. There is no attempt to disguise the presence of the hand; it is a working drawing, made to capture the essence of the subject. The type of labor and skill here is aligned to traditions of painting and fine art, but also craft and design. This reflects a world in which artists and designers are less confined to single disciplines, and are interested in breaking down hierarchies between the fine and applied arts. Ultimately, by paying attention to the materials and how the artist used them, we can more fully appreciate the rich layers of meaning in this artwork.