Buitenhuizen 1870 - 1931

Willem Bastiaan Tholen made this drawing titled "Buitenhuizen" using graphite. The composition arranges detailed architectural and natural elements into a unified scene. Notice how the building on the left is rendered with defined lines and structural detail. These sharp lines contrast with the softer, sketchier application used to depict the foliage. This juxtaposition creates a visual rhythm that guides your eye across the landscape, encouraging you to observe both near and far. Tholen uses the subtle gradations of graphite to suggest depth and atmosphere. The fence and the figures sitting in the front introduce a spatial depth within the scene, which is further emphasized by the soft delineation of trees and buildings in the background. Light plays across the scene, creating areas of shadow that add volume and interest. By observing the formal elements and the way they structure the composition, we come to see the artwork not just as a depiction of a landscape, but as a structured meditation on space, form, and the act of seeing.