Landschappen c. 1780 - 1800

Barend Hendrik Thier created this drawing, Landschappen, using pen and ink, employing a delicate balance of line and wash. The composition is divided horizontally into two distinct landscape sketches, each offering a unique perspective. In the upper section, notice how the rugged terrain is depicted with short, broken lines and tonal washes, creating a sense of depth and texture. The lower sketch presents a more expansive view, with distant trees and structures rendered in light washes that evoke atmospheric perspective. The artist’s mark-making generates a soft, ethereal quality throughout. The juxtaposition of these landscapes invites comparison. The upper sketch is dynamic and immediate, the lower more serene and distant. Through the contrasting perspectives, Thier explores the interplay between observation and imagination, and between the immediate and the infinite. This drawing reflects the 18th-century sensibility toward nature, balancing empirical observation with romantic interpretation.