Boerenwoning 1859

Polynice Auguste Viette created this drawing of a farmhouse using pen on paper. At first glance, the interplay of light and shadow gives the structure a somber, almost austere quality, despite the idyllic subject matter. Viette masterfully uses hatching to define the thatched roofs and stone walls. Notice how the density and direction of these lines create a visual texture that mimics the rough surfaces of the building materials. The composition is carefully arranged to emphasize the building's angular forms. The strong diagonal lines of the roofs contrast with the verticality of the walls, creating a dynamic tension within the confined space. This focus on the structural elements can be seen as a reflection of the broader intellectual currents of the time, particularly the rise of structuralism, which seeks to understand underlying systems of meaning through objective analysis. Viette doesn't simply depict a farmhouse; he presents a study of form and structure, inviting us to see the underlying architecture of the image itself.