A Skirmish with Soldiers Near a Farm; Verso: Sketch with Soldiers 1790 - 1800

Dirk Langendijk made this drawing of a skirmish with soldiers near a farm using pen and brown ink, with gray wash over graphite. Langendijk's choice of materials is telling. He opted for readily available materials—paper, graphite, ink—diverging from the traditional fine arts which often valorize oil paints. He created a wash, which involves diluting the ink with water to create translucent layers. This material treatment imbues the scene with an ethereal quality, almost as if it's a memory or a fleeting moment. The drawing offers insight into the labor of war itself. It wasn't just about grand strategy; it was about the grit, the smoke, the literal heavy lifting required to move cannons and wage battle. Langendijk’s process, though meticulous, allowed him to capture a sense of immediacy. The loose application of the wash emphasizes the chaos and disorder inherent in warfare. By emphasizing the handmade aspect of this image, we see how craft can offer a unique lens for understanding historical and social events, pushing beyond conventional notions of art.