Studie van een boom 1904 - 1908

Coba Steenhoff made this tree study with watercolor and pencil, and it feels like a very personal record of looking. See how the watercolor washes create a sense of light and atmosphere? It's not about perfection, but about capturing a feeling. I love the way the colors bleed and blend, creating soft edges and subtle gradations. It’s like Steenhoff is feeling her way around the tree, using the pencil to find the form and then letting the watercolor fill in the gaps. It is a loose map of a tree, not a photograph. Focus on the base of the trunk. See the brown watercolor bleeding into the paper? It’s like the tree is sinking into the ground, becoming one with the earth. The tree isn't just something separate from the landscape, it's part of it. That is what painting should do; create connections. This reminds me of some of the landscape drawings of Klimt. Like Klimt, Steenhoff isn't trying to capture a specific moment in time, but rather a sense of timelessness and connection to nature.