De Britse colonel Sir William Howe de Lancey wordt verzorgd na zijn verwonding. 1823 - 1824

Editor: We're looking at Jan Willem Pieneman’s sketch, "The British Colonel Sir William Howe de Lancey being cared for after his injury," created between 1823 and 1824. It's a pencil and ink sketch on toned paper. The scene seems tense, but the style is so delicate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately, the economy of line is striking. Notice how Pieneman uses varied densities and directions of hatching to model form and suggest shadow with such limited means. It's not simply mimetic, but rather a strategic articulation of visual information. How would you describe the interplay between the linework and the perceived volume of the figures? Editor: I see what you mean. The lines create depth, especially on the injured man. But it still feels like a sketch, like we're seeing the process of creation itself. Curator: Precisely! The work presents the formal properties of the pen-and-ink medium. Also, consider the compositional structure: the central figure is anchored by supporting figures on either side, creating a pyramidal structure, which stabilizes the image and focuses the viewer's eye on the focal point: the face of the wounded colonel. What effect does this balanced, yet dynamic composition have on you as a viewer? Editor: It makes me want to examine the faces of each character; to understand the central character by noting each surrounding character. I hadn't noticed how it created a triangle; thank you! Curator: Indeed. Furthermore, Pieneman experiments with an open composition. The narrative of the sketch is clearly legible from a formalist view; the structure of the sketch suggests much about the implied story! The visual structure is, indeed, the narrative! Editor: I am very drawn to that structure now. I appreciate the new angle of analysis! Curator: Understanding the form enhances our reading, and illuminates so much of the work itself.