Blacksmith at work in the field – Dirk Langendijk, 1789
Blacksmith with a mobile forge at work in the field. Drawing with pen washed with Indian and gray ink by Dirk Langendijk. Signed and dated on a piece of wood in the lower left corner: “Dirk Langendijk 1789.” Size: 10.8 x 16.8 cm.
Dirk Langendijk (1748–1805) specialized in depicting military subjects, featuring cavalry and artillery: advancing and occupying guard posts, conflicts between civilians and Dutch Patriots (1780–1786), and the Prussian invasion of Holland (1787). The Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland (1799) and the battles between that army and the Franco-Batavian forces also inspired him to create remarkable drawings. Many of his works were transferred to copper plates and printed.
Langendijk portrayed the diverse scenes of war with impressive variety and striking accuracy. The calamitous events in the Netherlands during that time provided ample inspiration. He vividly depicted riots and plundering as the tragic consequences of civil discord, as well as the advance of foreign armies crossing borders or frozen rivers, penetrating deep into the heart of a divided homeland. With his skilled drawing pen and artistic brush, he presented these events as though he were a calm observer on the scene.
He evokes in us a cold shudder as we view valiant fighters; cavalry charges furiously through smoke and dust against extended bayonets and the relentless fire of infantry, advancing while hacking and shooting. The ground is littered with groaning wounded, corpses, dead or dying horses, and various war equipment. In other scenes, he reveals the unruly fury and wild excesses of rampaging soldiers or the disasters of war, such as livestock being driven away under the despairing gaze of farmers, the explosion of a gunpowder wagon in a church converted into a military depot, or the horrific devastation caused by a bomb explosion. These harrowing and dreadful scenes are sometimes interspersed with more cheerful and grandiose events, such as peace negotiations, the soldier’s return to hearth and home, and the jubilant celebration of peace with spectacular fireworks and festive illuminations. Or, as in this instance, a moment of respite amidst the conflict, where a blacksmith fits a horse with new shoes.
His drawings are typically elaborately detailed: every figure, whether animal or human, can stand as a subject on its own. The various emotions of the people are sometimes visible in their expressions. The clothing, often with unique details, is generally meticulously rendered.
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