Boom 1842 - 1868

This pencil drawing of a tree, titled "Boom," was created by Johannes Tavenraat, likely en plein air. The artist’s chosen medium is significant. Pencil is immediate, portable and relatively inexpensive. It is a utilitarian material, born of the industrial revolution, which allowed artists to quickly sketch fleeting moments from life, from nature, and perhaps even from work. Looking closely at the image, you can see that the artist carefully built up the form of the tree with layers of delicate lines, capturing its gnarled texture and organic form. The marks left by the pencil reveal the artist’s process, reflecting not only their technical skill, but also their intimate connection to the subject. By taking a common material and elevating it through skill and vision, Tavenraat reminds us that art can be found even in the simplest of means, blurring the lines between high art and everyday practice.