Drie jongens liggend op het duin before 1953

Hans Borrebach created this drawing of "Three Boys Lying on the Dune," using ink and possibly watercolor, although its exact date remains unconfirmed. The composition strikes us with its simple yet effective arrangement. Three figures are neatly aligned, each reclining amidst stylized beach grass. Borrebach uses sharp, linear strokes, typical of illustration. The light blue wash is applied sparingly, creating a semi-monochromatic palette that highlights the contours and forms of the figures. This visual construction allows us to decode the underlying meanings. Borrebach’s focus on the male form, combined with the drawing's narrative context, invites us to explore themes of youth and leisure, and the gaze, subtly challenging conventional representations. The artist's approach to line and form pushes us to consider the drawing not merely as a depiction but as a structured field of meaning, open to multiple interpretations, a space where representation meets suggestion.