Raadsheer Teding van Berkhout waarschuwt Johan van Oldenbarnevelt voor diens gevangenneming, 28 augustus 1618 1779 - 1784

Jacobus Buys created this pen and gray ink drawing titled ‘Raadsheer Teding van Berkhout waarschuwt Johan van Oldenbarnevelt voor diens gevangenneming, 28 augustus 1618.’ Notice how Buys uses a sparse, linear style to construct a scene heavy with political tension. The composition divides the space between the imposing architecture and the fraught interaction of figures. The cool grays and whites lend a somber, almost ghostly quality to the scene, enhancing the drama. The drawing’s strength lies in its ability to capture a pivotal historical moment through minimal means. The artist employs line and form to suggest a narrative ripe with betrayal and warning. The classical architectural backdrop, rendered simply, adds a layer of gravitas, framing the human drama within broader historical forces. The starkness of Buys’ formal choices emphasizes the gravity of the situation, ensuring that we, as viewers, feel the weight of this impending capture and its broader implications for power and justice.