Poel met bomen en weiland 1866 - 1892

Fredericus Jacobus van Rossum du Chattel painted 'Poel met bomen en weiland' with watercolor and gouache, a technique that allowed him to capture the subtle interplay of light and atmosphere of the Dutch landscape. Watercolor as a medium has a long history, tracing back to ancient times, but it was in the 18th and 19th centuries that it really blossomed, particularly in the hands of landscape artists. Du Chattel's choice of watercolor and gouache reflects a connection to this tradition. These materials allowed him to work with fluidity, and luminosity; but also required absolute precision, the ability to 'make every mark count'. Look closely at the work, and you see that the visible brushstrokes build the image. The artist's masterful handling of the medium is evident in the way he captures the reflections on the water. In these passages, he evokes the tranquility of the scene and the sense of immersion in nature. Du Chattel's work is very much situated within a lineage of landscape painting that elevated the everyday scene to the realm of art. By carefully considering the materials and making of this painting, we can appreciate how it fits into art history while offering a glimpse into the cultural values of its time.