Duinlandschap 1881 - 1927

This landscape drawing was created by Johan Antonie de Jonge using traditional drawing materials: pencil and paper. The artist has used the pencil to render tone and texture across the page, to bring the landscape to life. Notice the different levels of finish in the work; the image on the right has only been lightly sketched. The artist hasn't blended or smudged the pencil here. The landscape is a scene of nature, not an industrial landscape, so at first glance the drawing appears to have little connection to the modes of production. But consider the labour involved in producing art; the artist's time, skill, and creative energy. Drawing is often seen as a preliminary sketch for a painting, rather than a finished artwork in its own right. De Jonge presents drawing as a satisfying artistic end result. By emphasizing the artistic process and materials, the artist elevates the status of drawing, challenging the hierarchy between traditional art and craft.