Besneeuwde huizen aan een weg in Ede c. 1897

Editor: Right now, we're looking at "Besneeuwde huizen aan een weg in Ede," or "Snow-covered houses on a road in Ede," created around 1897 by Willem Witsen. It's an etching, giving it this beautiful, soft texture. It's making me feel a little… chilly! What captures your eye in this artwork? Curator: Oh, the chill is definitely part of its charm! For me, it’s how Witsen uses the etching technique to evoke a hushed silence. You can almost hear the muffled sounds of a snowy day. Notice the limited tonal range – mostly greys and whites – yet he creates such a palpable sense of depth. It feels less like a representation and more like a memory, don’t you think? A moment captured and filtered through feeling. Does it remind you of a photograph perhaps? Editor: Absolutely, a bit like a faded photograph! There's something so nostalgic and serene about it. The simplicity, too. Do you think the everyday subject matter contributed to his intention? Curator: Definitely! Witsen wasn’t after grand pronouncements; he was finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Those humble houses, draped in snow, become poetic. It’s about intimacy, really, inviting us to contemplate quiet moments in everyday life. That contrast – the grand potential of art focused on something seemingly small - it's what I think about a lot, and something to always come back to. Editor: I see! It makes me think about how we often overlook beauty in the mundane. I'll remember that from now on. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. And perhaps next time it snows, you will grab a sketchbook instead of your phone?