Landschap met bomen aan een waterkant c. 1891

This is Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap's 'Landschap met bomen aan een waterkant', a landscape drawing made with graphite. The drawing presents a scene dominated by the stark, bare trees along a shore. Schaap's composition is structured through a network of lines, creating an intricate pattern against the muted background. The branches intertwine, forming dense, almost impenetrable thickets. The horizon line, suggested by the water's edge, provides a sense of depth, however, the foreground trees are flattened, which challenges traditional perspective. Schaap is less concerned with representing the scene realistically, and more interested in the formal qualities of line and composition. This evokes a sense of melancholy, the starkness reflecting the quiet solitude of the natural world. The drawing emphasizes the formal structure, inviting us to contemplate the interplay between representation and abstraction. Schaap’s strategic use of lines explores new ways of thinking about space and perception.