De kerk van Terheijden, Noord Brabant 1729

Cornelis Pronk created this drawing of the church of Terheijden in Noord Brabant using pen in grey and brush in grey. Notice how the drawing is structured around a series of vertical lines, firmly establishing a sense of architectural grandeur. These vertical elements – the church tower, the towering windows, and the slender trees – create a rhythm across the composition, yet do not rigidly define it. Instead, they are softened by the rounded forms of the trees and the shadows cast across the church’s facade. Pronk uses a limited palette and careful shading which allows the architecture to emerge with a quiet strength. The eye is invited to consider the spatial relationships, how the structure rises from the earth, and its presence within the landscape. This understated approach invites us to ponder the essence of form and the subtle interplay between nature and architecture, line and shadow, surface and depth.