Schets 1892 - 1916

This drawing is made with ink on paper by Rik Wouters, though when is a bit of a mystery. The artist is working out the architecture of the scene, the composition, with speed and assurance. Look closely, you can see how the ink bleeds slightly into the paper, creating a soft halo around each line. See the cross-hatching used to create shadows or volume? It's like he's mapping out the space with these little energetic marks. There's a real sense of freedom in the way he approaches the scene, not trying to be too precious or realistic, but capturing the essence of a place. I see a kinship between this work and the drawings of Egon Schiele, though Wouters has a gentler spirit. Both artists use line to express the world around them, and both revel in the process of seeing and recording, but with their own unique handwriting. Ultimately, this drawing is about seeing as a form of thinking, and thinking as a form of seeing.