Schaapskooi 1873 - 1935

Herman Eduard Knaake made this etching, Schaapskooi, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look at the tonal variations achieved with the etched line! It's like he’s trying to capture the sensation of light and shadow flickering across the scene. I imagine Knaake outside, squinting, trying to get all this down on the plate. What kind of marks would best describe the scene? The differences between tree bark, leaves, roof tiles... It’s like translating one language into another. I love how the trees frame the building, but it's not just a picture of architecture. The surface almost dissolves into pure feeling. This is a kind of seeing that makes you realize how many different ways there are to really look. How the artist is always deciding what to include and what to leave out.