Landschap c. 1885 - 1898

This charcoal drawing, titled "Landschap," was created by George Hendrik Breitner, and is held in the Rijksmuseum. The composition is immediately striking, dominated by dense, diagonal strokes of charcoal that form the sky and the land, creating a sense of brooding atmosphere. Breitner’s mark-making, particularly in the sky, seems to dissolve any fixed structure, evoking a space in constant flux. The horizon line, only suggested, becomes a site of instability. In his landscapes, Breitner seems to engage with the sublime. The structure of the drawing, with its almost aggressive strokes, evokes a sense of awe mixed with unease. The absence of color intensifies this feeling, focusing our attention on the materiality of the charcoal and the texture of the paper. The drawing destabilizes traditional landscape painting, turning it into an exploration of surface and texture, marking a shift towards modernism. The dynamic lines not only depict the landscape but also convey the experience of being within it, emphasizing the subjective and ever-changing nature of perception.