Studies, mogelijk architectuur c. 1901

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this drawing, "Studies, mogelijk architectuur" with pencil on paper. You can see how he's working through an idea, feeling around for the right form. It's so process-oriented. I love the materiality here, the simple contrast of the graphite against the lined paper. The lines are so delicate, almost tentative, but then you have these bold, sweeping gestures that suggest a confidence and energy. Look at the way he's layered the lines in the upper part of the sketch; it's like he's trying to capture movement, maybe even a sense of flow. It reminds me of some of the early modernist experiments with abstraction. Dijsselhof reminds me a bit of Gustav Klimt, someone else who was exploring these decorative, almost surreal forms. But where Klimt is all about opulence, Dijsselhof is more about this quiet, meditative exploration. It's like he's inviting us to join him in his studio, to witness the act of creation itself.