Kastanje 1922

Henri Braakensiek made this study of a chestnut plant, Kastanje, in pen in the early 20th Century. I love this work because it feels so raw, almost like a sketch, but one that is fully realised. The texture of the piece is really interesting, isn't it? The yellow ink is layered, creating a subtle sense of depth. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, building up the image stroke by stroke. Look at the veins of the leaves, see how they are suggested with these broken lines? It's like Braakensiek is inviting us to complete the image in our own minds. I see a reference to Van Gogh in the way he is using the pen to draw with. It's this kind of open-endedness that makes art so exciting. It's not about finding the "right" answer, but about embracing the possibilities, and about keeping the conversation going.