Landschap met boerderijen en molens 1908

Editor: This is "Landschap met boerderijen en molens," or "Landscape with Farms and Mills," a pencil and ink drawing by Alexander Shilling from 1908. It's a fairly simple landscape sketch, but the repeated angular shapes of the roofs and trees create a really interesting rhythm across the composition. What jumps out to you about the way it’s composed? Curator: What's most compelling is Shilling's utilization of line. Note how the density and direction of the marks aren't merely descriptive, but constructive. Consider the sky: it is not represented with a wash or tone, but with layered horizontal strokes that create an atmospheric effect. What do you observe about the lines defining the land and buildings? Editor: I notice that those lines are much more defined and use darker marks. Curator: Precisely. This contrast generates a visual hierarchy. The architecture, especially the triangular roofs of the mills, possess a weighty, almost monumental quality despite the sketch’s diminutive scale. Observe also how the artist employs hatching and cross-hatching, especially in the areas denoting shadow and depth. The artist’s hand seems decisive, the forms solid because of it. Is there any suggestion of preparatory marks underneath the bold strokes? Editor: Now that you mention it, I do see some lighter lines beneath, particularly around the cluster of trees on the left, as well as to the building's roofline. So these may indicate some rethinking or adjustment by the artist? Curator: Yes, and this is an element often found in drawings: it’s that window into the creative process that makes sketches so attractive. What effect do these changes create? Editor: The artist seems to be experimenting with different structures in his compositions. Curator: Exactly. So by exploring line and its layering, we begin to see not just a landscape, but an articulation of Shilling's artistic thought process. It’s fascinating, isn't it? Editor: I hadn’t considered the marks themselves as having meaning, rather than just depicting a scene, so I’ll be sure to notice this going forward! Thanks!