Gezicht op Amsterdam met huizen in aanbouw 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr made this etching, "View of Amsterdam with houses under construction," probably in the early 20th century. It’s all about the line, isn’t it? Loose, scratchy, and full of energy. It's like he's sketching the city's bones, not just its pretty face. Look at how Löhr uses the etching needle to create different textures. In the foreground, those vertical lines suggest pilings in the water, but they’re also just lines, dancing together. It’s not super detailed or realistic; rather, it seems he's trying to capture a fleeting feeling. I love that looseness, that willingness to let the medium do its thing. The overall impression reminds me of James Ensor, another artist who wasn’t afraid to embrace a kind of raw, almost frantic energy in his work. And like Ensor, Löhr shows us that art doesn’t always have to be polished to be powerful; sometimes, it’s the rough edges that make it real.