Boom met afgebroken stam

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2760

Art Historical Context

"Tree with Broken Trunk" (*Boom met afgebroken stam a striking lithography by Dutch artist Joannes Bemme captures the dramatic beauty of a shattered tree in a poignant study of nature's resilience. Created between 1809 and 1841, this print exemplifies the Romantic era's fascination with the sublime power of the natural world, where weathered forms evoke both decay and enduring strength. Bemme, an early practitioner of lithography in the Netherlands skillfully rendered the textured bark and fractured limbs with a sensitivity that highlights the medium's revolutionary potential. Lithography, invented just over a decade earlier, allowed artists like Bemme to translate fluid drawings directly onto stone, producing rich tonal variations and intricate details unachievable in traditional engraving. Measuring an impressive 534 mm high by 405 mm wide, this large-format sheet would have made a bold statement in 19th-century collections, bridging fine art and affordable reproduction for a growing public audience. Bearing the collector's mark Lugt 2760—linked to esteemed provenance—this work underscores its lasting appeal among connoisseurs. Bemme's piece invites us to ponder the quiet poetry of a single tree, standing as a testament to early lithography's role in democratizing artistic expression.