Interieur met een trap before 1909

W.F. Barber made this etching, Interieur met een trap, which translates as Interior with Stairs, probably using a needle on a metal plate. Look at how the image is built up out of lots of tiny lines; it’s almost like he’s knitting with ink! There is something so appealing to me about the texture and surface of the image. See how the light catches on the right-hand side of the doorway, and how the shadows define the staircase? It feels so immediate and physical, like I could reach out and touch the walls. I love how Barber uses this web of lines to make a world. This piece reminds me a little of Piranesi and his etchings of imaginary prisons. Although Barber’s work is less dramatic, both artists use the medium of etching to create atmospheric and evocative spaces. It's like they're showing us that art isn't about answers, but about embracing questions and possibilities.