Huis aan een sloot met knotwilgen 1887 - 1936

Maria Johanna Goemans made this artwork, Huis aan een sloot met knotwilgen, using a monochromatic palette of browns and greys, and you can see the careful lines etched into the plate. Imagine her, bending over the metal, the acid biting into the surface, the press forcing paper onto the plate, each step demanding precision and care. I wonder, what was Goemans thinking as she created this serene waterside scene? The textures feel tactile, like the scratch of the drypoint needle digging into the metal. The bare branches reaching up to the sky are like a chorus of voices, each telling a slightly different story. They remind me of some drawings by Paula Modersohn-Becker, but with an added layer of graphic precision. The reflections in the water are particularly evocative, adding a sense of depth and mystery to the composition. It’s like the world is both solid and ephemeral, fixed and ever-changing. The way the artist has created this world feels timeless. We all are in conversation with each other, learning from each other, across time.