Huizen aan de Voorstraatshaven in Dordrecht 1897 - 1914

This etching, "Huizen aan de Voorstraatshaven in Dordrecht", was made by Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp, sometime around the turn of the last century. It’s all about the marks, those tiny, etched lines that build up to create this super-detailed view of a canal scene. Look closely, and you can see how Nieuwenkamp uses the density and direction of the lines to describe the textures of the buildings and the reflections in the water. There’s a real sense of depth, created through these layers of lines, pulling you into the narrow waterway. It’s almost like he’s mapped the scene, not just depicted it, with each line a tiny bit of information. You know, there’s something of Piranesi in the way Nieuwenkamp captures the atmosphere of this place. But where Piranesi is all about grandeur and drama, Nieuwenkamp feels more intimate, more personal. Like he really knows this canal, these buildings, this light. It’s like a memory, etched in ink.