Dorpsgezicht met kerktoren 1849 - 1895

Willem Koekkoek rendered this village scene with church tower in pencil. Notice the dominance of line and the minimal shading which suggests a fleeting moment captured with precision. Koekkoek’s formal emphasis is on the structural elements of the village. The steeple, the rooftops, and the angular intersection of planes create a sense of depth. The sketch does not present a unified or coherent perspective, as the viewpoint seems to shift, fragmenting the visual field. This approach to form can be linked to structuralist ideas which examine how underlying structures shape our perceptions of reality. The use of line to construct the composition serves as a sign system itself, inviting us to decode not just what is depicted, but how it is represented through the artist’s chosen medium and technique. In its formal austerity, the sketch invites us to consider how art communicates ideas and constructs meaning through its intrinsic elements, irrespective of its representational content.