Landschap 1881 - 1927

This landscape, by Johan Antonie de Jonge, looks like it was made with charcoal or graphite, a medium that invites a real sense of immediacy and process. The artist is thinking through the landscape, not just representing it. The left side is dense, almost overgrown, with marks layered upon marks. Look how he's built up the tones with short, energetic strokes. It's like he's feeling his way through the scene, using the charcoal to probe and explore. Then, to the right, the image opens up, with the landscape dissolving into looser marks and notations. It's almost as if the act of drawing becomes a form of writing, a way of recording not just what he sees, but also what he thinks or feels. For me, this piece speaks to the fluidity of perception, and that reminds me of Cy Twombly, where drawing and writing become intertwined. It's a good reminder that art is about questions, not answers.