Landschap met een dijk aan een waterweg 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve made this landscape sketch, likely in the late 19th century, using graphite on paper. It's a simple combination, but the artist really pushes the medium to its full potential. Notice how Mauve creates a sense of depth and texture, with the strokes of the graphite suggesting the roughness of the earth and the stillness of the waterway. The marks of the material are clear to see, allowing the viewer to understand the artist’s process. Drawings like this were often studies for larger paintings, but they stand on their own as intimate expressions. It's also important to note the social context; the drawing depicts land that has been reclaimed and shaped by labor, with a figure and horse in the field perhaps suggesting that a life of work is underway. By emphasizing material, making, and context, we challenge any distinction between fine art and craft and appreciate the drawing's full meaning.