Landscape II — Gouache Painting by Nicolaas Maathuis

Painted in gouache on cardboard, the work builds the landscape through a series of simplified shapes and broad areas of colour. Green, blue, sienna and earthy tones are layered across the surface, suggesting different elements of the natural environment without detailed depiction. The arrangement of forms establishes a sense of vegetation, land and spatial distance. The opaque, matte quality of gouache gives the colours a soft appearance while preserving the character of the brushwork.

Nicolaas Maathuis is a Dutch visual artist and designer. Born on June 23 in Deventer, the Netherlands, he followed a diverse educational and professional path, studying at the conservatory (ArtEZ), the Rietveld Academy, and the University of Amsterdam. His interests have ranged from music and pedagogy to visual art and law before he established himself as a visual artist and designer.

Maathuis works across painting, drawing, ceramics, furniture and applied art, often combining artistic ideas with functional objects. His work is characterised by simplified forms, a strong use of colour, and hand-drawn and handmade elements, with an interest in bringing art into everyday surroundings.

Maathuis lives and works in Buren, the Netherlands.