Gezicht op de Barentszzee met ijsschotsen 1880

Louis Apol made this view of the Barentsz Sea with ice floes using pencil and watercolour on paper. It is a study, a quick impression done en plein air. The thinness of the materials allows for a certain immediacy and spontaneity. You can almost see the wind whipping as Apol worked; the marks are so ephemeral, they seem to float on the surface, just as the ice floes do in the composition. The choice of watercolour is significant. It evokes the liquidity and chill of the Arctic environment and the artist's choice of material, combined with a delicate touch, speaks to the intense conditions involved in the creation of this landscape. Understanding the materials and processes used, and the context in which it was made helps us move beyond traditional notions of fine art, enabling a deeper appreciation of the artwork.