Huis in een landschap bij Groesbeek 1901 - 1907

This drawing, House in a Landscape near Groesbeek, was made by Anna Catharina Maria van Eeghen, and it seems to have been done outside, directly from life. I love the economy of line, the way she captures so much with so little fuss. The way the house is situated in the landscape, nestled amongst the trees, it feels like the drawing emerged from the landscape itself. It is as though it was pulled from the earth, not placed upon it. Look at the roof of the house, it's like a field of tiny, hatched lines, each one carefully placed. It’s through these simple repeated gestures that you feel the weight of the thing, that you get the sense of this solid object somehow. It makes me think of Gwen John, another artist who found so much in the intimate, domestic sphere. Both artists share a similar spirit and sensibility. They show us that there is a lot to be gained from careful, quiet observation.