Skaters on a River c. 1682 - 1699

Abraham Rutgers created "Skaters on a River" using pen and brown ink with brown wash. The drawing presents a landscape dominated by horizontal lines of the frozen river, the distant shore, and the sky. The skaters are interspersed creating a rhythm of dark and light, balanced by the textured trees in the foreground, which frame the scene. The muted sepia tones create a sense of depth. Rutgers uses linear perspective not just to depict space, but also to structure the viewer's gaze. The skaters become signs within a semiotic system of winter leisure. Yet, the bare trees in the foreground disrupt this idyllic scene, acting as a screen that filters our view. This could be seen as a commentary on how the structure of landscape art mediates our perception of nature and society. The drawing reminds us that any artistic representation is not a mere reflection of reality but an active construction that engages with, and potentially challenges, our understanding.