Church Tower on a Hill 

Jan Asselijn created this drawing, "Church Tower on a Hill," using brown ink. Initially, your eyes might be drawn to the rough texture and the ochre wash that unifies the composition. Asselijn plays with scale by positioning the church tower atop a hill, in such a way that the rocks seem to morph into a grotesque face, challenging our perceptions of the natural world. Look closely at how the lines define the craggy surfaces, creating a sense of depth and volume. The church is relegated to the background, almost an afterthought. The artist prompts us to question our understanding of form and representation by destabilizing the relationship between architecture and landscape. This subversion invites us to consider how art can challenge fixed meanings.