Bosrand met een draaibrug over een sloot 1635 - 1655

Jacob van Mosscher made this drawing of a landscape with a swing bridge over a ditch sometime in the first half of the 17th century. It is made with graphite on paper, humble materials that lend themselves to a sketch-like appearance. The drawing’s effect results directly from the character of graphite as a medium. It can achieve a remarkable degree of precision, but it can also be used for tonal washes, as we see in the foliage. Notice how the graphite has been applied in layers, building up a sense of depth and atmosphere. This layering gives the image a hazy quality, as if the landscape is shrouded in mist. The drawing also shows the artist's hand at work; it is a piece of skilled labor. But beyond that, it connects to the wider social context of Dutch landscape painting, which often idealized the countryside as a refuge from the bustle of urban life, a product of commerce and trade. By focusing on the humble materials and skilled techniques used to create this image, we can appreciate its meaning and significance.