Gezicht op de Gouwe 1648 - 1671

Jan de Bisschop made this landscape, Gezicht op de Gouwe, sometime in the mid-17th century with pen and brown ink, on paper. Think about the relative immediacy of this medium: a reed pen is a simple tool, and ink even simpler – just pigment mixed into a binder. De Bisschop uses these basic means to depict a bustling Dutch waterway. Look closely, and you’ll see how the consistency of the ink creates darker, heavier marks, suggestive of the trees in the foreground. These contrast with the lighter, more open strokes that define the buildings in the distance. The artist has used the qualities of his materials, and the ease of his technique, to capture the essence of this place. It is a scene of labor and transport, all rendered with apparent effortlessness. It’s a reminder that even the humblest materials, when handled with skill, can offer profound insight.