Boomstudie 1905

Coba Steenhoff made this tree study with a pencil on paper in 1903. The drawing captures a moment of quiet observation, but also reflects broader trends in early 20th-century art. In the Netherlands, where Steenhoff was active, there was a strong emphasis on naturalism and capturing the essence of the local landscape. Artists turned to nature as a source of national identity, with an appeal to simplicity and authenticity. Institutions like art academies encouraged the study of nature, but also shaped artistic taste. The detailed rendering of the tree trunk and branches shows a careful engagement with academic principles, but it also hints at an interest in capturing the subjective experience of nature. To fully understand the drawing, we might look at exhibition records, artists’ letters, and critical reviews to get a better sense of the artistic debates of the time. The meaning of this unassuming study is inseparable from the institutional and cultural context in which it was made.