Landscape with a Windmill c. 19th century

Johan Barthold Jongkind's 'Landscape with a Windmill' presents a study in tonal harmony, achieved through the use of oil on canvas. The painting is dominated by muted greens, browns, and greys, creating a somber yet harmonious visual field. The windmill itself, a robust structure, anchors the composition, while the surrounding landscape is rendered with loose, expressive brushstrokes. Jongkind's approach here destabilizes traditional landscape painting by focusing less on picturesque detail and more on the atmospheric effects and the interplay of light and shadow. The structural elements, such as the windmill and the trees, are simplified, almost abstracted, reducing them to their essential forms. This technique aligns with emerging modernist concerns, moving away from representational accuracy towards a focus on the materiality of the paint itself. The painting’s subdued palette and gestural brushwork invite us to consider how formal elements can evoke mood and express a subjective experience of nature, marking a shift in artistic priorities. The focus is not merely on depicting a scene but on conveying a feeling, thereby challenging conventional modes of seeing and representing the world.