Boerderijen aan een pad 1888 - 1952

Henri Koetser made this print, "Boerderijen aan een pad," using etching techniques. You can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate. It's a tiny world, isn’t it? The composition, a cluster of farm buildings huddled along a path, is made of these super-concentrated marks. See how the thatched roof is built from myriad tiny lines? I love that the textures in this image are so important. The feeling is almost claustrophobic, but in a cozy way. Looking at it makes me think about Whistler and his etchings of the Thames. These artists were really into the poetics of everyday life. The simplicity, the lack of pretension, but also that very focused attention to detail. Each line is a small decision, a thought, a feeling made visible. It is about embracing the beauty of imperfection.