Brussel 1915

This etching of Brussel was made by Willem Adrianus Grondhout in 1911, it's all about seeing how marks can build a world. The real magic is in how Grondhout coaxes so much depth out of such a limited palette, it’s all monochrome, but look closely and you’ll see a whole symphony of grays. Take a look at the sky, notice how the clouds seem to roll and shift through these tiny, deliberate marks, almost like he’s sketching the weather itself. It's a reminder that even within the strictest of constraints, there's always room to play, to push, and to discover. Grondhout’s piece here has something of Whistler’s influence, that same quiet, contemplative mood, but with a touch more earthiness. Art’s never really about having the last word, it's about keeping the conversation going.