Figuren op het strand c. 1920

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this drawing of figures on a beach, probably on location. He used graphite or charcoal, smudging it with his fingers to conjure the atmosphere. I love how this simple drawing sets the stage for something else to happen. It feels like a memory, an echo of a day at the beach. The artist captures the light with a few deft marks. There is the horizon line where the sky meets the water, or maybe it’s wet sand reflecting the sky… I can almost feel the breeze. Look at how the figures are rendered with just a few strokes. De Jonge reminds me of other artists interested in capturing a fleeting moment. Think of the quick sketches by Constable or Delacroix, always searching for ways to grasp the vitality of life itself! In the end, drawing and painting are about being in conversation with the world, translating our experiences into something tangible, yet open-ended.