Huis tussen bomen 1872 - 1939

Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap created this drawing, "House Between Trees", using graphite, resulting in a study in greys. The real juice of this piece is in its textures, the scribbled marks that shape the foreground create the sense of dense foliage. These marks feel urgent, searching, like Schaap is figuring out the scene as he goes. Then there's a shift as the graphite thins out to create the impression of light reflecting off the open water. It's like the drawing breathes out into the distance. There's a quality of mark making here that reminds me of some of the landscape drawings of Van Gogh. You can feel the artist working to find a way to translate the three-dimensional world into a set of marks on a two-dimensional surface. And it's not just about representation, it’s about trying to communicate something about his experience of being in that space. Art is never a closed book; it remains an invitation to see the world through another’s eyes.