Stilleven met schenkkan en boeken c. 1914

This is 'Stilleven met schenkkan en boeken' (Still Life with Jug and Books) by Frans Everbag, an etching, so lines are key, and the starkness makes me feel the artist really thought about how to make each one count. The image is all about the layering of tones. Look at the way Everbag uses a kind of cross-hatching to build up the shadows on the jug, giving it volume, almost like he's sculpting with ink. The jug itself is such a funny shape, like something out of a fairy tale. And below, the books—they ground the whole scene, anchoring the jug and giving it a sense of place. It reminds me that even the simplest objects can hold so much weight and meaning when we really take the time to look. It's a bit Morandi-like in its quietness. I think this piece speaks to the Dutch tradition of still life, but with a modern, pared-down sensibility.