Landschap bij maanlicht 1867 - 1935

Maurits van der Valk made this 'Landscape by Moonlight' drawing with chalk on paper. Imagine being Van der Valk, standing outside at night, trying to capture that hazy, silvery light. You can see the moon, this pale yellow blob in the sky, and these great big, fluffy clouds rendered with delicate, scribbly marks that almost feel like they're moving. I like the contrast between the lightness of the sky and the darkness in the foreground; the land is built up with dense, dark strokes. I wonder if it was hard for him to see what he was doing out there in the dark? The surface of the paper reminds me of James McNeil Whistler's Nocturnes; Van der Valk is definitely part of a conversation about how to paint night. When you’re looking at a drawing like this, you're really looking at someone figuring out how to capture a feeling. The best art always leaves room for questions.