Twee mannen aan een tafel in een café 1924

Willem de Zwart made this etching, “Two men at a table in a café,” with ink on paper. It’s a bit like looking at a memory, isn't it? The scene is built up with tiny, scratchy lines. It’s amazing how a few simple marks can evoke a whole atmosphere. Look at the way the lines vary in thickness and direction. There are areas where the ink is densely packed, creating dark shadows and a sense of depth, and in the faces of the men, the white of the paper is exposed. The textures become palpable. You can almost hear the clinking of glasses and the murmur of conversation. For me, it feels like the etchings of James Ensor. They both show how much can be suggested with just a few strokes, turning the ordinary into something magical. Art is an endless conversation across time. It’s never really about having the final answer, but about asking the right questions.