Waterplas met bomen en vogels 1892 - 1893

Charles-Marie Dulac made this landscape view of a waterway, trees and birds in the late 19th century using red chalk on paper. The choice of red chalk, also known as sanguine, wasn't accidental; it's a material that lends itself particularly well to capturing atmospheric effects. Dulac would have employed a variety of techniques, from hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and shadow, to subtle smudging for a soft, diffused light. Each stroke, each application of the chalk, demanded control and precision. Red chalk emerged during the Renaissance, and it was preferred by artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo for figure studies. Dulac is using it to evoke a similar sense of grandeur in his depiction of nature. Through a material associated with the masters, he invites us to see a world of skill and artistic labor, reminding us that even a seemingly simple landscape is the product of thoughtful making.