Stukken van omgehakte boomstammen op een open plek in een bos 1848 - 1888

Here we see a sketch by Anton Mauve, rendered in pencil, depicting felled tree trunks in a forest clearing. The composition is immediate; horizontal lines establish the felled trunks, and the vertical strokes suggest the remaining trees. Mauve’s economy of line is striking. See how the bare minimum of strokes evoke the density of the forest and the rough texture of the wood. This sketch embodies a structuralist approach by using basic shapes and lines to communicate the essence of the forest scene. Semiotically, the felled trees might function as a signifier of human intervention in nature, reflecting broader 19th-century concerns about industrialization and its impact on the natural world. The sketch destabilizes established meanings, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with the environment. The raw, immediate quality emphasizes that the act of sketching is not just about depicting reality but also about engaging with it.