Landschap met bomen 1834 - 1906

Maria Vos made this landscape sketch with trees using graphite on paper. The softness of the graphite allows for quick and gestural marks, capturing the fleeting qualities of light and shadow in the landscape. Notice the layering of strokes which creates depth and volume in the foliage. This kind of work was often preparatory, a way for artists to quickly record observations en plein air. The immediacy of drawing enables the artist to experiment with composition and form, translating the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface. Drawings like this challenge traditional hierarchies, elevating the status of preliminary sketches to artworks in their own right. By emphasizing the artist's hand and the inherent qualities of the materials, we appreciate the value of the creative process.