Duinlandschap met in de verte een zee 1650 - 1660

Pieter de Molijn captured this 'Duinlandschap met in de verte een zee', or 'Dune Landscape with a Sea in the Distance', with graphite on paper. The magic of this drawing lies in its simplicity. A humble graphite pencil, manipulated with varying pressure and layering, brings this expansive landscape to life. The artist coaxes depth and distance from the page, creating a tactile sense of the grainy earth beneath our feet. With economical strokes, de Molijn suggests the vastness of the Dutch landscape and its relationship to the sea. In this work, the artist engages with the rich tradition of landscape drawing, while referencing the evolving social and economic landscape of 17th-century Netherlands. Drawings such as this one weren't just records of a place. They reflect the growing merchant class's interest in owning and understanding their environment. This connection between material, making, and social context is key to appreciating the drawing's significance. It blurs the lines between fine art, craft, and lived experience.