Landschap, mogelijk een zeegezicht c. 1920

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this drawing, 'Landschap, mogelijk een zeegezicht', or 'Landscape, possibly a seascape' with graphite on paper. It's all about the push and pull of the hand. The marks aren’t trying to trick you into thinking they're anything other than marks on paper. Look at the horizon line. See how it’s made of these short, horizontal strokes? They almost vibrate, creating this shimmering effect. And then there's the sky, full of these dark, dense clusters of graphite. They’re like a storm brewing, but also kind of soft and fuzzy. It's amazing how much emotion he coaxes out of something so simple. The drawing reminds me a little of the work of Agnes Martin. Both artists share this interest in simplicity and reduction, in finding the sublime in the everyday. And of course, like all great art, this drawing leaves plenty of room for interpretation. Is it a landscape? Is it a seascape? Maybe it’s both, or maybe it’s something else entirely.