Landschap met liggende boomstammen 1891 - 1892

Willem Cornelis Rip sketched "Landschap met liggende boomstammen" using graphite, capturing a landscape where fallen trees dominate the foreground. Rip, who lived through a time of significant social change, including the rise of industrialization and urbanization, often depicted rural scenes. The rough texture and somber tones of the graphite evoke a sense of melancholy and transience. You can almost feel the stillness of the scene. It is a silent testament to the passage of time, both in the natural world and in human experience. Rip's choice to focus on decaying trees may reflect a broader cultural anxiety about the changing relationship between humanity and nature. The work, while seemingly simple, subtly questions our impact on the environment and invites a reflection on mortality and the cycle of life and death.