Horseman among the Dunes c. 1627 - 1629

This is a sketch called "Horseman among the Dunes" by Jan van Goyen, dating from the 17th century, made using graphite on paper. Van Goyen was a Dutch Golden Age painter, a period when the Netherlands experienced tremendous economic, scientific, and artistic growth. Here, the lone horseman embodies a sense of self, the quiet solitude amidst the vast landscape. His presence offers a focal point, a figure navigating the natural world, which was a familiar motif in Dutch landscape painting of the time. This era saw the rise of the merchant class and alongside it, the popularity of landscape paintings, reflecting the pride and connection people felt towards their land. But, looking closer, the fragility of the lines also hint at the ephemeral nature of human existence compared to the timelessness of nature. It captures a moment of introspection, as we witness the horseman traversing his path.