Holland Canal, near Rotterdam (Canal de Hollande, pres de Rotterdam (Hiver)) 1875

Johan Barthold Jongkind created this etching, "Holland Canal, near Rotterdam," in 1875. The stark composition immediately draws the eye to the windmill on the right, its form built up through a dense accumulation of lines. This contrasts sharply with the open, sparsely marked sky above. The image's structure plays with visual weight and balance. Jongkind uses line not merely to depict, but to create a sense of atmospheric depth and spatial relationships. The diagonal strokes across the sky suggest movement and the effects of wind, while the darker, concentrated lines around the windmill give it a grounded, almost monumental presence. Notice the figures in the foreground; they are rendered with minimal detail, yet their presence is crucial. They provide a human scale against the vastness of the landscape, inviting us to consider our own place within this scene. Jongkind uses these formal elements to prompt a reflection on nature, industry, and human existence.