Landschap 1881 - 1927

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this landscape drawing with what looks like charcoal or soft graphite. You know, that stuff that kind of crumbles as you use it? It's all about process here; the smudgy marks are really the point. The surface of this drawing has a velvety texture, especially where the charcoal is built up. You can almost feel the softness of the material, like you could blow on it and the dust would swirl. See how the artist used vertical strokes to suggest trees or reflections in the water? It's like he’s letting gravity do some of the work. It all feels very immediate, like a fleeting impression captured in a hurry. Looking at this, I'm reminded of Symbolist artists like Odilon Redon, who were also interested in evoking mood and atmosphere through suggestive forms rather than precise representation. Art's cool like that; an ongoing conversation. It leaves room for mystery and personal interpretation.