Figuurstudies 1849 - 1917

This is a page of figure studies by Matthijs Maris, and it shows the artist working with that most fundamental of materials: pencil on paper. The image shows a sequence of sketches, a constellation of possibilities explored by the artist. The pencil lines are tentative, searching for the forms within his imagination. These rapid, searching marks are a world away from the finished painting, but they are not without their own kind of beauty. The graphite is soft, allowing for subtle gradations of tone. The page itself, with its grid, becomes a framework for experimentation. Maris was deeply invested in the process of making, and this drawing gives us a glimpse into his working method, with drawing a fundamental skill and constant practice for artists. Drawings like this are not just preparatory exercises, but valuable artworks in their own right, reminding us that the path to a finished artwork is often as important as the destination.