Boom 1874 - 1875

Willem Cornelis Rip created this pencil drawing called "Boom," which simply means tree in Dutch. Rip came of age in a time when artists were exploring the natural landscape as a subject in and of itself. With a gaze fixed firmly on the trunk, the artist draws our attention to the tree’s silent, enduring presence. The level of detail—gnarled bark and delicate leaves—captures the tactile qualities of the tree. Rip has used the qualities of graphite to bring out light and shadow in the bark’s rough surface. The tree is presented without romanticism and may reflect the cultural shifts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when industrialization led to a growing interest in preserving natural landscapes. It makes you consider our relationship with nature. What do we take from it, and what do we give back?