Landschap met ploegende boer 1847 - 1899

This is Jacob Maris' watercolor, "Landschap met ploegende boer", or "Landscape with Plowing Farmer," housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Observe how Maris orchestrates a symphony of muted tones, primarily grays and browns, that evoke a sense of somber tranquility across the Dutch landscape. The composition is divided horizontally, with the lower portion dominated by the dark, tilled earth and the upper half by an overcast sky, creating a sense of weightiness. The stark, bare trees punctuate the horizon line, their verticality contrasting with the horizontal expanse of the fields. Maris seems less concerned with depicting a literal scene, and more interested in conveying an emotional state through the structural arrangement of form and color. The figures of the farmer and horses are integrated into the landscape, underscoring a connection between humanity and nature. There is a poetic sensibility in how Maris uses the watercolor medium to suggest atmosphere and light, engaging with ideas about Romanticism and its emphasis on emotion.