Forest Scene with Tree in Foreground

Forest Scene with Tree in Foreground

Jacques d'Artois

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This view of the interior of a forest is abruptly divided in two by the slender, tilting stem of a tree in the central foreground. Done in brush and gray ink, the vivacity of the brushwork, especially in the rendering of foliage, gives the impression of a rapid and quick execution. The identity of the artist responsible is not easily affirmed. When it first entered the Museum in 1975, the sheet was considered a work by the Flemish artist Jacques d’Arthois. D’Arthois belonged to the so-called Brussels school of landscapists, known for their rustic views of wooded landscapes, inspired by the nearby Sonian forest (Forêt de Soigne). Other members of this group were Lodewijk de Vadder (1605–1655) and Lucas Achtschellinck (1629–1699). These artists worked in close vicinity of one another, and their drawings and paintings show strong similarities, both in style and subject matter, which makes it difficult to define their respective oeuvres. It is not surprising therefore that in later years it has been suggested that this Forest Scene with a Tree in the Foreground possibly was made by Lodewijk de Vadder. Characteristic for both De Vadder’s and D’Arthois’s drawing style are the broad, horizontal brushstrokes used to indicate foliage, as well as the dense washes in foreground areas. The prominent presence of a tree in the center of the picture is a compositional device favored by both artists. As the drawing is unsigned and cannot be related to any painting, a definitive answer as to the drawing’s authorship is yet to be found.

Drawings and Prints

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Department’s vast collection of works on paper comprises approximately 21,000 drawings, 1.2 million prints, and 12,000 illustrated books created in Europe and the Americas from about 1400 to the present day. Since its foundation in 1916, the Department has been committed to collecting a wide range of works on paper, which includes both pieces that are incredibly rare and lauded for their aesthetic appeal, as well as material that is more popular, functional, and ephemeral. The broad scope of the department’s collecting encourages questions of connoisseurship as well as those pertaining to function and context, and demonstrates the vital role that prints, drawings, and illustrated books have played throughout history.