Molen in Xanten 1871 - 1918

Henriëtte van Hove's 'Molen in Xanten' presents a scene rendered with a deliberate emphasis on graphic structure and pattern. Notice the composition: the artist uses bold outlines and hatching to define forms, flattening the scene and emphasizing surface design over depth. The windmill, the central subject, is meticulously detailed, its brickwork and the lattice of its sails rendered in precise linear patterns. This echoes throughout the artwork, from the cobblestone streets to the rooftops. The artist’s restricted palette of earth tones and muted blues further unifies the composition, focusing our attention on the interplay of textures and lines. Van Hove's structured approach may reflect the influence of early 20th-century debates around representation. By prioritizing line and form, she invites us to consider how the image is constructed, rather than merely what it represents. The tension between the representational subject and the abstract patterning compels us to decode the visual language itself.