Bosgezicht c. 1891

Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap made this charcoal drawing, titled 'Bosgezicht', on paper. The visible strokes reveal the artist’s engagement with the material. Charcoal, in its raw form, is simply burnt wood, a humble material transformed through the process of charring. Schaap coaxes depth and texture from the charcoal, with smudges and varied line weights suggesting the density and volume of the forest. You can almost feel the roughness of bark and the softness of foliage. Think about the labor involved, the repetitive strokes needed to build up such a complex image. The very act of drawing, with its direct, physical connection between the artist and the material, becomes a meditation on the natural world. By focusing on the simplicity and immediacy of charcoal, Schaap invites us to consider the relationship between the built environment and the natural one, emphasizing the importance of materiality, making, and context to fully appreciate the artwork.