Albumblad met twee voorstellingen van twee wilgen: links het ontwerp, rechts de uitvoering 1816

This work presents two willow trees side-by-side, drawn by Max Josef Wagenbauer in the late 18th or early 19th century. On the left, we see a preliminary sketch, delicate and sparse. The tree’s form is just beginning to emerge. To the right, the same tree is rendered in fuller detail. The leaves have filled in, and the textures of bark and foliage are carefully described. Wagenbauer was working in a period where the natural world was increasingly seen through the lenses of science and romanticism. His decision to show both the design and the execution invites us to consider the artist's process. This reveals a dialogue between observation and imagination. What does it mean to capture the essence of a tree, a symbol often associated with resilience and adaptability? Consider how the shift from sketch to finished drawing might mirror our own journeys. We begin with a faint outline of an idea, gradually fleshing it out with experience and reflection. Notice how the emotional resonance of the tree deepens as it transforms from a mere outline into a vibrant, living entity.