Landschap bij Arnemuiden 1883 - 1931

Johannes Frederik Engelbert ten Klooster made this landscape drawing near Arnemuiden with diluted ink, almost like a memory fading into paper. I can see him there with his materials on a gray day. How much water did he use? Was the brush old or new? I imagine him looking out, trying to capture this open scene without sentimentality. He probably knew it well, this damp world of flat land and heavy skies. Look at how he defines the foliage with short jabs. See the blurry reflections of vertical marks that suggest the presence of water. The line of birds in flight seems both free and determined. It is a gesture, as much as it is a depiction of reality. It reminds me of some of the great landscape painters of the past. This piece feels like part of an ongoing conversation between artists. It's as if ten Klooster is saying something about seeing, remembering, and feeling. What do you think?