Rivierlandschap met enkele hooischepen 17th century

This river landscape with hay barges is a pen and brown ink drawing on paper by an anonymous artist. The composition is structured around a central cluster of boats loaded with hay, their masts reaching upwards against a backdrop of muted sky. The use of monochrome lends a structural feel to the artwork where linear strokes define the forms of the boats, figures, and distant architecture. The textures, from the haystacks to the water's surface, are built up through layers of hatching and cross-hatching, creating depth and a sense of materiality. The rhythmic placement of the boats and figures guides the eye across the scene, while the contrasting tones of the sky and water create a visual tension that destabilizes traditional landscape expectations. This functions not merely as an aesthetic choice but as a statement on the fluid interplay between nature and human activity.