Drie mannen in een roeiboot 1818

This is "Three Men in a Rowboat" by Horace Vernet, made with pen in grey ink. The composition draws you into a scene dominated by the roiling sea and a formidable rock formation. The figures in the rowboat are small, yet their struggle against the elements is palpable. The formal qualities of this piece – the dynamic lines of the waves, the contrast between the dark rock and the lighter sky – evoke a sense of Romanticism. Vernet masterfully uses the pen to create gradations of light and shadow. The materiality of ink on paper is unassuming but allows for meticulous detail. Vernet subtly hints at the sublime power of nature through the scene's structure. The men, dwarfed by the landscape, become a sign of human resilience, challenging us to consider our place in the vastness of the world. This artwork is not a mere depiction but an active engagement with ideas of human strength.