Landschap 1884 - 1927

Johan Antonie de Jonge captured this landscape using graphite on paper. Looking at the frenetic hatching technique, I can almost see the artist with his stick of graphite, frantically trying to record the scene before him. There's a tension between what’s carefully and loosely drawn – it’s not hyper-realistic, but there is a sense of place, like a memory. I imagine that this drawing formed the basis of a larger painting. I feel like I'm there, a part of his process, watching a work unfold. It reminds me of those times when I’m working on a painting, and I get into a groove. It's all about the physicality of mark making, the way the graphite feels as it moves across the page, and the way the image seems to emerge organically. This drawing reminds me that art isn't just about the end result, it's about the conversation that artists have across time, inspiring one another to see the world in new ways.