A Wooded Landscape with Travelers Crossing a Small Bridge over a River

Anthonie Waterloo Dutch

Not on view

These two heavily worked sheets stand out among Waterloo’s numerous landscape drawings, typically executed in black chalk and monochrome gray washes. The artist used a complex and unusual mix of media: layers of watercolor and gouache are applied over a black chalk underdrawing. The darkest parts of the composition were accentuated though the application of gum arabic, which created extra density as well as a certain luster. Thin strokes of yellow gouache were applied along the surface of the foliage and tree trunks to suggest soft light filtering through the woods. Resembling manuscript illuminations, these luminous landscapes may have been intended to be framed and hung on the wall as an alternative to more expensive and labor-intensive paintings.

A Wooded Landscape with Travelers Crossing a Small Bridge over a River, Anthonie Waterloo (Dutch, Lille 1609–1690 Utrecht), Black chalk, watercolor and gouache on pale blue paper; framing lines in black ink and in black chalk

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