Bomen langs een waterkant 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve created this sketch, "Trees Along a Waterfront", using pencil on paper. The drawing offers a stark, almost skeletal view of nature reduced to its most fundamental elements. A series of vertical lines suggest tree trunks, while horizontal strokes indicate the water's edge and sky. Notice how Mauve uses minimal shading to evoke depth and form, relying instead on the contrast between the stark white paper and the graphite lines. This sparseness is key. The composition invites us to consider the essence of representation itself. It's as if Mauve is not just depicting trees but questioning how little is needed to convey an idea of "treeness." The sketch challenges our perception, reminding us that representation is always a construction, a set of signs that point to something beyond themselves. It serves not just as a depiction but also as a reflection on the act of seeing and interpreting the world around us.