Landschap met figuren en een boomgroep c. 1881 - 1888

Anton Mauve created this landscape drawing with charcoal, presenting a scene where forms emerge from a haze of delicate strokes. The composition teeters between clarity and abstraction, challenging our perception of space and representation. The clustered strokes hint at figures and a copse of trees, their shapes not definitively outlined, yet the contrast in the charcoal evokes depth. This tension between the defined and the indefinite invites the viewer to participate in constructing the scene, destabilizing the traditional role of the artwork as a provider of fixed meaning. Note how Mauve uses the charcoal to suggest rather than dictate. This approach aligns with a broader shift in art towards capturing the fleeting, subjective experience of a moment, inviting us to consider how perception shapes our understanding of the world.