Landschap met waterval 1752 - 1819

Jurriaan Andriessen made this small landscape with watercolor and pen, likely en plein air, in the late 18th or early 19th century. The artist applied delicate washes of pigment to paper, capturing the soft, filtered light of a northern European landscape, paying close attention to the textural differences between foliage, water, and rock. Andriessen likely used fine brushes and pens to achieve the subtle details, indicating the artist's proficiency with the tools of their trade. This emphasizes the embodied knowledge that comes from a close engagement with artistic materials. By using such an approachable medium as watercolor to depict the land, Andriessen invites us to consider how art flattens the labor that goes into shaping our world. It encourages us to look closely at our everyday surroundings, appreciating the skill and craft involved in representing them, while also prompting us to reflect on the larger forces that shape the land.