Vogel met uitgespreide vleugels 1887 - 1924

Julie de Graag made this bird with outspread wings, likely in the early 20th century, using what looks like pencil and gouache on paper. What strikes me is how immediate and process-oriented this piece feels. It’s like we're catching her in the act of seeing. The body of the bird is rendered with soft, feathery strokes, while the wings pop with bold blacks and yellows. Look closely and you'll see the paper peeking through. De Graag’s hand is evident in every mark, it's so fluid. The texture is almost velvety, giving the bird a real sense of presence. I love how this one area of yellow leads us to a dark area. These areas of high contrast give the impression of movement to the entire piece. This bird reminds me of work by artists like Charles Burchfield. Like De Graag he was able to distill the world around him into something magical and all his own. Artmaking is such a cool conversation between different sensibilities and historical moments, don’t you think?