Landschap met eenden 1881 - 1927

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this charcoal drawing of a landscape with ducks sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. It’s a study in tonal variation, as the artist renders the scene almost entirely in blacks, whites, and grays. Although undated, the work reflects an important shift in European art academies at the time. Traditionally, art education emphasized the idealization of classical forms; however, in the late 1800s, artists became more interested in everyday life. We can see this in the choice of subject. Instead of a grand mythological scene, de Jonge has given us a quick sketch of ducks in a pond. Furthermore, its loose, expressive strokes represent a challenge to the highly finished academic style. To understand this change fully, historians look at the exhibition culture, art criticism, and the changing economic conditions of the art world at the time.