Bomen 1870 - 1931

Editor: This is “Bomen,” by Willem Bastiaan Tholen, dating from 1870 to 1931. It's a pencil drawing on paper, and it reminds me a bit of Impressionism with its quick, almost sketched feel. There's a sense of layering, of things being seen through other things. What stands out to you most? Curator: Formally speaking, the distribution of marks across the plane commands my immediate attention. Notice the juxtaposition of intensely worked areas, creating dense textural passages suggestive of foliage, with relatively blank spaces that provide visual relief and imply depth. Observe, too, how the artist’s use of line varies—short, broken strokes against longer, more fluid gestures—to delineate the different forms of the trees. Editor: Yes, the different types of lines make some elements stand out while others recede. But is there any underlying structure to this seemingly random composition? Curator: Consider the implied geometric structures. Can you discern, perhaps, a latent triangular formation within the massing of the trees, with the apex pointing upwards, creating a sense of verticality against the horizontal spread of the landscape? It’s a subtle but essential organizing principle. Editor: Now that you mention it, I can definitely see that implied triangle. It's like the artist is subtly guiding our eye through the composition. The upper sketches create a rhythmic imbalance within the work. Curator: Precisely. Through the conscious arrangement of visual elements – line, texture, and form – the artist is enacting a formal dialogue. In a way, the art performs the function of organizing experience, an approach common with Impressionists. The use of the negative space almost alludes to Japanese prints and drawings. Editor: That’s a very interesting lens for understanding it. Thanks, I wouldn’t have seen so many of these elements without you pointing them out! Curator: It is in this exchange and application of new perspectives that one experiences the truest form of artistic appreciation.