Drawings
Intimate works of art on paper
Photographing drawings takes not only precision but also having a clear approach in mind. Drawings are often lacking in colour and contrast so the photo could easily end up being too grey or ‘flat’. In a well-lit drawing, the subtle shades of the white paper and the structure of the fibres come to life. The images are edited and given standard reference colours to allow for their optimal publication.
Pablo Fiamingo, Adam and Eve, drawing on paper (detail). Stichting P & N de Boer, Amsterdam.
What I personally love about drawings is the intimate atmosphere they convey. The intuitive nature of the medium—often the first concrete execution of an idea in modest form—contributes to a feeling of being close to the maker.
This selection of drawings was photographed for the catalogue Goltzius to Van Gogh:, Drawings and Paintings from the P & N de Boer Foundation, an exhibition in Paris displayed at Fondation Custodia in 2014. Above a sketch made by Jacob Jordaens (Antwerpen 1593-1678) red and black charcoal on paper. Stichting P & N de Boer, Amsterdam.
Vincent van Gogh (Zundert 1853-1890 Auver-sur-Oise) Worn Out, black ink, white opaque watercolour on paper. Stichting P & N de Boer, Amsterdam.
Allaert van Everdingen (Alkmaar 1621-1675 Amsterdam) Landscape with Waterfall (after 1644). Pen and brown ink, brown wash, brush and watercolour, heightened with white, 20 x 32 cm. Stichting P & N de Boer, Amsterdam.
Roelant Savery, (Kortrijk 1576/78-1639 Utrecht) Two Frogs (c. 1600-1603) pen and brown ink, brush and watercolour and gouache, 11 x 16 cm. Stichting P & N de Boer, Amsterdam.