Landschaft mit einem Triumphbogen 

Jan van Huysum created this landscape drawing with pen and brown ink on paper, it's located here at the Städel Museum. The drawing presents a serene landscape dominated by a triumphal arch, rendered with meticulous detail and delicate tonality. The arch itself serves as a strong central element, its classical form juxtaposed against the organic backdrop of trees and distant mountains. Huysum masterfully uses line and shading to create depth, drawing the viewer's eye through the arch and into the distant horizon. This juxtaposition of classical architecture and natural scenery may reflect the eighteenth-century preoccupation with themes of the picturesque, with its carefully constructed scenes. The artist challenges fixed perspectives, inviting viewers to contemplate the interplay between the idealized past, represented by the triumphal arch, and the enduring presence of nature.