Chinese vaas met vier kleine beelden 1867 - 1935

This is Maurits van der Valk’s etching of a Chinese vase and some little statues. You can tell he’s really enjoying the process of making marks with the needle, there is a real variety of short, hatched strokes. I love the sense of close looking, of being absorbed in the details of these objects. The vase itself is rendered with such care, you can almost feel the texture of the ceramic. And the way the light catches the little figures, each one with its own personality. Look at the tiny lines describing the little figures, how they change direction to describe the forms, it's great. It puts me in mind of Giorgio Morandi, another artist who found endless fascination in the subtle variations of light and form in simple, everyday objects. Both artists remind us that art is not about grand gestures, but about the quiet, attentive observation of the world around us.