Gezicht op huis Over Holland met theekoepel aan de Vecht te Nieuwersluis 1782 - 1837

Pieter Barbiers made this watercolor, "View of the House Over Holland with Tea Dome on the Vecht near Nieuwersluis," probably around the turn of the 19th century. The artist worked in a very particular way. He seems to have built up the image from a careful pencil underdrawing, then added thin washes of color to give a sense of light and atmosphere. Look closely, and you can see the subtle variations in tone, and the way the colors blend into one another. This was a standard technique in European painting at the time, but Barbiers brought his own vision to it. The paper support itself would have been manufactured, and quite costly. And while the image is of a rural scene, the way it is rendered speaks of urbanity and trade. The figures are neatly arranged in a sort of polite equilibrium. It's easy to imagine this watercolor being displayed in a well-appointed home, a testament to the wealth and leisure of the Dutch bourgeoisie. The artist is not only showing us a place, but also the social context that made that place possible.