Gebouw met trapgevels 1827 - 1891

Johannes Bosboom created this sketch of a building with stepped gables using graphite. Immediately, we see a concentration of vertical and horizontal lines. The geometry gives the building a strong sense of structure, yet the sketch's loose execution softens this effect, creating a balance between precision and spontaneity. Bosboom’s interest lies not just in representation but in the act of seeing and recording. His approach to line and composition reveals an understanding of structuralism. The façade is divided into distinct planes, but the drawing implies an underlying unity, suggesting that the building is more than the sum of its parts. The sketch captures a moment, but it also embodies a timeless architectural form, the Dutch stepped gable. Bosboom invites us to contemplate how architectural forms mediate between past and present, structure and experience.