Sheepfold (or schpenboet) on the Dutch wadden island of Texel. Watercolour on paper by Hans Sturris (1992).
One of a series of works Hans painted on dt Dutch Wadden Island in 1992.
A “schapenboet” is a characteristic Texel barn that originally served as a storage place for hay and other feed for sheep. Although the name suggests otherwise, the sheep themselves rarely stood in it, as the barn was too small for this purpose. Nowadays, some schapenboeten are restored and converted into holiday homes, for example, but many have disappeared due to land consolidation.
Characteristics of a “schapenboet”:
Location and orientation: Almost all sheep pens on Texel face the flat, low side (the entrance door) to the north-east to be protected from the prevailing wind from the south-west.
Construction: The barn is a typical Texel building that resembles a sawn-off stolp farmhouse. The fourth side gable is a straight gable, often clad with boards.
Function: Originally the main function was storage of hay and fodder, and only in emergencies were sheep housed in it.
Modern use: Today, many sheep pens are being restored. Some are used as monumental heritage or have been converted into recreational objects, such as holiday cottages or venues for events.
See also: https://www.leestekensvanhetlandschap.nl/schapenboet
Galerie Ringoot is a homage to the work of the Belgian painter Pieter Ringoot (1921 - 2011) and the Dutch illustrator, writer and painter Hans Sturris.
This online art gallery shows a selection of the artists' work, consisting of oil paintings, watercolours, pen drawings, Sketches, ..
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