Berglandschap met naaldbomen 1873 - 1932

Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff captured this Berglandschap met naaldbomen, or Mountain Landscape with Pine Trees, with graphite on paper. I wonder what it was like to stand where Steenhoff stood, charcoal in hand, making marks to capture this rugged landscape. Look at the quick, repetitive marks building up the forest, a thick mass of vertical lines. See how the artist uses a softer, smudged touch for the distant mountain, creating depth and atmosphere. It’s not about precision here, right? But about feeling the weight of the mountain, the density of the woods. I’m thinking of artists like Klimt and Schiele, who also used drawing to explore themes of nature and the inner self. This piece feels like it's searching for something, a mood, an essence. It’s like Steenhoff is in conversation with the landscape, each stroke a response to what he sees and feels. It's a reminder that art-making is about the exchange between artist, medium, and world.