Stenen brug bij een bos c. 1873 - 1876

Johannes Tavenraat’s pencil drawing offers a glimpse into a serene, wooded landscape. Immediately, the composition draws us into a play of horizontals and verticals, with the solid form of the stone bridge juxtaposed against the towering verticality of the trees. Observe how Tavenraat uses line to define space and structure. The bridge, rendered with clear, horizontal strokes, presents a sense of stability, while the trees are depicted with rapid, vertical lines, suggesting height and density. This interplay not only creates depth but also evokes a sense of movement and texture, almost as if one can feel the roughness of the stone and the smoothness of the bark. The sketch engages with the tradition of landscape art while subtly challenging it. There is a structured contrast between the natural and the man-made, yet both are unified through the artist’s consistent linework. This reflects a romantic era engagement with nature and philosophical considerations about humanity's place within it. The drawing offers us not just a visual representation but an invitation to contemplate the dialogue between nature and artifice.