Boerderijen tussen bomen 1864 - 1936

Jan van Essen made this drawing of farmhouses among trees with graphite on paper. The artist employs soft, powdery graphite to construct a scene in tones of gray, creating a sense of depth through varying pressure and density of marks. The drawing's material – humble graphite – influences its appearance, imbuing the scene with a fleeting, almost dreamlike quality. See how the marks are applied with varying pressure and density, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. The simplicity of the medium invites us to consider the social context of the scene. The farmhouses, rendered with a delicate touch, evoke a sense of rural life and labor, while the surrounding trees suggest the presence of nature. The artist is using the same pencil for the trees and the houses, to reflect how the people who live there work in a similar way with nature. By choosing such accessible materials, van Essen challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft, suggesting that artistic expression can be found in the everyday.