Landschap met bruggetjes in weilanden 1873 - 1932

Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff made this drawing of a landscape with little bridges in some meadows with a graphite pencil, probably en plein air. I love how immediate Steenhoff's marks are, like he's wrestling with the scene right in front of him. Look at the way the lines vary in pressure and direction, creating a real sense of depth and texture with simple hatching. The little bridges and fences are described with so few lines. You can almost feel the softness of the grass and the dampness of the air. It's like a visual diary entry, capturing a fleeting moment in time. Steenhoff reminds me of James McNeill Whistler, another master of tonal landscapes who used the subtlest of means to evoke atmosphere and mood. With Steenhoff, nothing is overworked. The drawing embraces a quiet beauty that invites you to pause and reflect on the simple pleasures of the natural world.