Gezicht op Orsoy, 1672 1900 - 1903

In 1672, the frères Moreau created ‘Gezicht op Orsoy’, a muted drawing in diluted greys and browns. I can imagine them outside, perhaps on a cloudy day, squinting in concentration as they captured the scene before them. The work is like a faded memory. The city itself is almost ghost-like, hovering above the landscape. The trees and fields in the foreground seem more solid in comparison. They are suggestive of the solid, dependable earth. The circular blooms that hover around the cityscape remind me of rain clouds or even the residue of faded ink. What was it like to stand there, all those years ago, recording what you see? How can you capture something that is constantly changing? For me, the work is less about place and more about the passage of time. It reminds me of the drawings of Hercules Segers, who was always experimenting with ink to create moody landscapes.