Bei einer Brücke und mehreren Gebäuden, im Wasser fünf badende Kinder 

Hermanus Numan made this landscape, “By a Bridge and Several Buildings, with Five Children Bathing in the Water,” using pen, ink, and watercolor. Look closely at the laid paper, and notice its texture, visible through the translucent washes of color. This material support would have been manufactured in a mill, likely employing many laborers. The raw materials would have been pulped, pressed, and dried, all before Numan even began to describe this scene of leisure. He would have used his pen to delineate the architectural forms, the trees, and the figures in the water, then applied delicate washes of watercolor. This technique, common in the 18th century, allowed for subtle gradations of light and shadow, capturing the atmosphere of the scene. Pen-and-wash drawings like this were considered less prestigious than oil paintings, but were valued for their immediacy and portability. Considering the processes and materials used, we can appreciate the skill and labor that went into creating this tranquil scene. It invites us to think about the relationship between art, industry, and the everyday lives of people in the past.