Landschap, mogelijk met water 1909

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this landscape, possibly with water, as a drawing. Look at the way the marks are laid down, building up the image from an accumulation of small gestures, almost like a form of shading. The direction of the marks, and the pressure with which they are made, are so important in conveying the overall sense of the image. For me, the lower part of the image really evokes a sense of water. The lightness of touch here, and the slightly curving quality of the marks, makes me think of the ebb and flow of water, and the way light is reflected on its surface. The darker, more solid marks at the top of the image contrast strongly, perhaps conveying a sense of solid earth, or dense foliage. It puts me in mind of similar sketches by Boudin, made on the coast of France. Art is just one big conversation, right? De Jonge's loose marks leave plenty of room for our imaginations to play.