Plattelandswoning met pannendak 1797 - 1838

Here we see a watercolor and pen drawing by Johannes Christiaan Schotel, titled 'Plattelandswoning met pannendak', or Country House with a Tiled Roof. Dominating the composition is the partial view of a building, seemingly cut off from its broader context. Schotel focuses on the formal elements of the structure. The brickwork of the lower section is rendered with a tangible density, contrasting with the linear scaffolding of the upper portions. A tension emerges between the complete and incomplete. This compositional strategy serves to destabilize traditional notions of architectural representation. The building becomes less about its function as a dwelling and more about an exercise in form and line. The sparseness of detail, with only essential lines and tones, directs us to consider the artwork not as a mere depiction, but as an inquiry into structure and perception. It suggests a semiotic interplay between what is shown and what is left unseen. The sketch exists not just as a view of a rural home, but as a meditation on the very act of seeing and representing.