Korenschoven op een veld 1883 - 1922

Here is a drawing of wheat sheaves in a field by Johanna van de Kamer. The artist has arranged a series of linear strokes across the page to create a sense of the depth of the landscape. I wonder what the experience of making this drawing was like for Van de Kamer. Maybe she sat in the field itself, feeling the sun, smelling the dry grass and earth. Imagine her, squinting to see, trying to capture the light on the straw. The marks are minimal, but they suggest the movement of the wind, the weight of the sheaves. I can sense the presence of the artist in each line, a kind of directness that’s really exciting. This drawing reminds me of other plein air painters. They all seem to be speaking the same language, working with similar tools and problems, always looking for a way to translate what they see and feel onto a flat surface. Each generation riffs off the last, finding new ways to push the conversation forward.