Veerpont van een rivier; links een ruïne 1773 - 1843

Georges Michel made this drawing of a river ferry with graphite. The composition is structured around a horizontal band of water that reflects the sky and landscape. The ruin on the left and the trees in the center create vertical anchors. The artist’s delicate strokes capture the scene’s tranquil yet melancholic mood. Michel focuses on texture to convey a sense of depth. The ruin is rendered with denser lines, suggesting its solidity and age, contrasting with the fluid reflections on the water’s surface. The positioning of the ferry mid-ground creates a focal point. The figures within the boat are small, yet they add a human element to the scene. Michel was working at a time when Romanticism was on the rise. The ruin is not merely a depiction of architecture but also symbolizes the passage of time and the transience of human achievement. The interplay between light and shadow, and the textural variations, all contribute to the drawing’s emotional depth and intellectual complexity.