Landscape

Despite their superficial rapport with reality, it is assumed that the majority of Herman Saftleven’s landscapes are imaginary. The composition of this particular sketch looks rather artificial. The prominent trees toward the left margin and the distant hills set on a low horizon, all reflected in the water, not to mention the tranquil, almost elegiac tone of the overall image, likely indicate that this work is mostly based on fantasy. The presence of the two figures in a boat with a lowered sail in the right foreground helps create an air of introspection.