Gezicht op de linkeroever van de Maas met café De Rode Haan 1830 - 1899

Alexander Schaepkens made this delicate pencil drawing of the Maas river’s left bank, including the café ‘De Rode Haan,’ sometime in the 19th century. The artist’s hand is evident in the repetitive marks that describe the trees, water, and buildings. This approach is rooted in a long tradition of drawing as a skill, based on careful observation, patience, and dexterity. The soft graphite visually evokes the natural world it depicts, with a sensitivity that oil painting, for example, would struggle to match. But this is not just a neutral record. The very act of drawing, with its implicit demand of slow looking, suggests a kind of labor, a personal investment in the depicted scene. It invites us to appreciate the beauty of the landscape and the human presence within it. Schaepkens gives value to the everyday, reminding us that fine art can be found even in humble subjects.