Cottages and Barn beside a Road
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows simple farm buildings—two barns and a small house—along a quiet road. A muddy field stretches in front, with a few scattered trees and a fence line. The watercolor wash gives everything a soft, faded look, like a quick study in earthy browns and grays. The artist used quick, loose lines to capture light and shadow, focusing on shapes over details. This style was common for practice sketches back then. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build texture with lines.
![View of Houtewael near the Sint Anthoniespoort [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/2919925de9060e70/thumb.webp)
