Studie van een boom 1844 - 1909

Sientje Mesdag-van Houten made this 'Studie van een boom' or 'Study of a Tree' with graphite on paper. This drawing offers insight into the cultural values that shaped Dutch art in the late 19th century, moving away from romanticism, toward a focus on the real. We might consider the work of the Hague School, and their attention to landscape. While landscape painting had been a feature of earlier Dutch art, this later period saw artists leave the studio and paint ‘en plein air’. They were interested in capturing the effects of light and atmosphere on the landscape. This approach was deeply connected to emerging ideas about science, where direct observation was seen as a pathway to truth. To better understand this work, we might consider the role played by institutions like the Pulchri Studio in the Hague, where artists could meet, exhibit, and debate new ideas.