Pad tussen twee houten schuren 1870 - 1922

Eduard Karsen made this drawing of a path between two wooden sheds with pen and ink. The composition highlights the textures of everyday life; the rough-hewn wood of the sheds, the brick path, and the bare trees above, all meticulously rendered with precise linework. The emphasis on texture gives insight into the social context. Wood as a material is easily worked and relatively inexpensive; the sheds were likely built by those who used them. The method of production highlights an attention to functionality over ornamentation, and the artist takes clear interest in the social and material conditions of vernacular architecture. By choosing such a mundane subject, Karsen elevates the ordinary, and invites us to appreciate the inherent beauty and significance of the built environment around us.