Landschap 1884 - 1927

This is Johan Antonie de Jonge's pencil drawing of "Landschap." The composition immediately divides into two distinct yet connected visual experiences. On the left, dense and rhythmic strokes sketch out the contours of the landscape, while on the right, the composition fades into an open field, sparsely drawn. This division and negative space invites a sense of incompleteness. The contrast in textures and densities encourages a semiotic reading. On the left, the concentration of lines evokes feelings of confinement, whereas the bareness on the right signifies openness. The unfinished quality of the work, emphasized by the stark negative space on the right, breaks with conventional landscape depiction. The drawing challenges our expectations, becoming less about representation and more about the act of seeing itself.