Landschap met bomen te Beek 1892 - 1898

Willem Cornelis Rip created this landscape with trees in Beek with a pencil on paper. At first glance, one is struck by the delicate balance between representation and abstraction. The sketch is composed of a series of horizontal lines that suggest a horizon, while the vertical and diagonal lines evoke trees. The stark contrast between light and shadow creates a dramatic effect. Rip's focus on line and form aligns with the formalist tradition. The drawing invites us to consider how these elements create meaning independent of the subject matter. The artist's focus seems to be less on the literal depiction of a landscape and more on the interplay of line, tone, and composition. The drawing destabilizes the traditional notion of landscape art as a mirror of nature, instead it presents a subjective interpretation of the landscape.