Landschap met boerderij bij een sloot 1899

Simon Moulijn made this landscape with farm and ditch using graphite on paper. The artist has recorded the scene with a sensitive eye for texture, from the rough bark of the trees to the smooth surface of the water. Note the layered foliage in the foreground and the brickwork of the small bridge, described by the simple application of graphite to paper. The subtle gradations of tone evoke a sense of depth and atmosphere, while also alluding to the skill and labor required to achieve such detail with a humble material. Moulijn’s choice to work with graphite, a material associated with preliminary sketches and technical drawings, speaks to a broader interest in the value of craft traditions. By elevating a common material to the status of fine art, the artist challenges conventional hierarchies and invites viewers to reconsider the relationship between art, labor, and the everyday.