Landschap met bomen en struiken c. 1765 - 1775

Jean-Honoré Fragonard made this drawing of a landscape with trees and shrubs. The sketch is rendered in graphite on paper, evoking a sense of immediacy. Fragonard masterfully uses line to define the forms within the landscape, guiding the viewer's eye through a textured space. The composition is divided into sections, filled with dynamic, rhythmic marks that capture the vitality of nature. Notice how Fragonard does not seek to replicate the landscape literally. Instead, he uses the medium to explore the interplay between line, tone, and space. This approach aligns with the broader artistic and philosophical shift toward prioritizing subjective experience and expression over faithful representation. The sketch invites us to appreciate how Fragonard challenged the boundaries of academic art through an emphasis on the aesthetic qualities of his materials. It demonstrates the potential for drawing to serve as a field for experimentation, where form takes precedence.