Landschap 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve made this landscape drawing in the Netherlands, using graphite on paper. Mauve was a leading figure in the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists working roughly between 1860 and 1900. They were known for their realistic and atmospheric depictions of the Dutch landscape. This sketch gives us a glimpse into the artistic process of the time. Artists often made preparatory drawings like this one en plein air, meaning outdoors, to capture the essence of a scene before developing it into a finished painting in the studio. By doing so, they were challenging the academic tradition of history painting, and instead valorizing direct observation and experience. The Rijksmuseum, like other national museums established in the 19th century, played a crucial role in shaping artistic taste and promoting a particular vision of national identity. This unassuming drawing offers a window into the artistic practices and institutional frameworks that shaped Dutch art in the late 19th century.