Studieblad met schapen te Exloo c. 1904 - 1912

Ferdinand Oldewelt made this graphite sketch of sheep—in Exloo, apparently—capturing them in a quiet, contemplative moment. Imagine Oldewelt, pencil in hand, trying to capture the essence of these creatures. There’s a tenderness in the way he renders their forms, a real sense of observation. What was he thinking as he captured the way they rested, close to one another? The marks are loose and free, almost like he’s feeling his way around their bodies, searching for the right lines to convey their weight and presence. I wonder what he felt while he drew them? Did he feel peace, closeness to nature, or something else? It reminds me of other artists who’ve found inspiration in the everyday, in the simple beauty of animals and the natural world. Think of Constable, Courbet, or Troyon, and the tradition of landscape drawing. We are all having one big conversation through art. We try to capture a moment, a feeling, an idea, and offer it to the world, hoping it resonates with someone else. We try to communicate something true.