Kind van Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff aan de borst van zijn moeder 1873 - 1932

Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff made this tender drawing of a mother and child, likely using charcoal or graphite on paper. See how Steenhoff uses these slashing, dark marks to suggest the mother’s hair? The strokes are quick, almost like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment. I can imagine him standing there, sketchbook in hand, trying to get the essence of this intimate scene down before it disappears. I feel the artist's empathy for his subject when I look at this drawing. I think, how can I, too, use line to convey that kind of feeling? Artists are always in conversation with one another, borrowing and building on ideas across time. Like a relay race of creativity. Painting is all about this—embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple readings and meanings.