Landschap met enkele bomen 1872 - 1939

Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap made this landscape with trees using graphite on paper. The artwork is rooted in the tradition of sketching, where the artist uses a readily available material to capture a fleeting impression. The inherent qualities of graphite – its softness, its ability to create both delicate lines and broad smudges – are fully explored here. You can imagine Schaap working quickly, using the side of the graphite to build up areas of shadow and mass, then turning the point to render the delicate branches of the trees. The very act of sketching, with its portability and immediacy, speaks to a particular kind of artistic practice, one focused on direct observation and personal expression. Graphite, as a relatively inexpensive and accessible material, democratized artistic creation, allowing more people to engage with the practice of drawing and mark making. This work challenges traditional hierarchies between finished artworks and preliminary studies, asking us to value the skill and artistry inherent in the act of drawing itself.