Landschap met boerderij 1907

Alexander Shilling made this pencil drawing, titled "Landschap met boerderij," using humble materials: paper and graphite. The drawing is a quick impression, a landscape with a farm, captured with economical lines. The texture of the paper is evident, with the tooth of the page catching the graphite and creating a slightly rough surface, giving a sense of immediacy to the scene. Shilling's marks show an attentiveness to the scene before him, with the various buildings and features of the landscape defined by a series of hatched marks. See, for example, the layers of graphite that define the road in the foreground, and the shading of the trees. The image is about directness and simplicity, and the artistic choice underscores this sensibility. As we consider this drawing, let's remember that the value of art lies not only in the subject it represents but in the way the materials are handled to create meaning. It invites us to value the everyday.