Bomen 1881 - 1927

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this drawing of trees, called Bomen, with graphite on paper. Look at the way de Jonge made his marks! The lines that build the trunks of the trees are so gentle and light, they barely touch the surface. It's like he's reaching out to the trees with his pencil, trying to find their essence, rather than just copying what he sees. I'm really drawn to the area where the trunks meet the ground, where the lines become a bit more frantic, darker. You can almost feel the weight of the trees, the way they dig into the earth. It’s a reminder that even the most delicate things have a strong foundation. This makes me think of other artists, like Agnes Martin, who use simple lines to create entire worlds. Art is like a conversation across time, with artists building on each other's ideas, finding new ways to see the world.