Landschap met bomen en hooibalen 1913 - 1918

Alexander Shilling made this drawing called ‘Landschap met bomen en hooibalen’, which translates as ‘Landscape with trees and hay bales’. It’s done with graphite and, wow, it's so evocative. I can imagine Shilling out in the fields, squinting at the landscape, then feverishly sketching it. Look at the hatching technique he uses to build up these trees—the marks are so responsive! It’s almost like he’s trying to capture not just what the landscape looks like, but also the feeling of being there. I can imagine he wanted to share what it was like to see that view on that specific day. When I look at the drawing I feel such a kinship with Shilling. The rapid marks he made are like thoughts or feelings expressed through a pencil. It’s a reminder that artists across time are linked by this desire to transcribe what they see and feel. It's like a conversation that never really ends.