Begroeide rotswand 1620 - 1623

Cornelis van Poelenburch made this drawing of an overgrown rock face with brush and brown ink. The ink, likely iron gall, has a translucent quality that allows the artist to build up depth and volume in the foliage and rock formations with layered washes. Poelenburch was part of a generation of Dutch artists who travelled to Italy to absorb its classical landscapes and architecture. Back in the Netherlands, he translated these influences into his own pastoral scenes. The controlled ink washes capture the ruggedness of nature. What I find interesting here is the way a fairly workaday material – ink – has been coaxed to perform. It is not merely descriptive, but evocative of the feeling of being in nature. This drawing reminds us that close observation of materials and techniques can reveal unexpected dimensions of meaning in art.