Landschap met bomen, waaronder enkele omgevallen of omgehakte stammen 1849 - 1917

This drawing, "Landschap met bomen, waaronder enkele omgevallen of omgehakte stammen" (Landscape with trees, including some fallen or chopped trunks) was created by Matthijs Maris. Maris lived through a time of intense social and political change in the Netherlands, which influenced his artistic perspective. Maris was known for his melancholic and dreamlike landscapes, often imbued with a sense of loss and transience. Here, the fallen and chopped tree trunks may symbolize the impact of industrialization on the natural world, reflecting a broader cultural anxiety about the rapid changes occurring in society at the time. The starkness of the monochrome sketch combined with the fallen trees evokes a sense of devastation and desolation. Maris once said, "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." Through this drawing, Maris urges us to consider the emotional and environmental consequences of our actions, encouraging a deeper connection to the world around us.