Marshy Wood

Marshy Wood dates from a period when Hobbema was starting to move away from Ruisdael’s style. Although the subject is inspired by a print by his teacher, Hobbema uses a thicker brushstroke and the trees are rendered in a highly personal manner, with twisted trunks and a very detailed drawing of the branches and foliage in a nervous style. The artist’s brush becomes subtle and highly detailed in the foreground, capturing the nuances of light as they fall on the trees and the vibrations and reflections in the water.