Koe bij hek 1872 - 1932

This small etching, "Koe bij hek," or "Cow by Fence," was made by Frans Smissaert. It's amazing how much information he manages to pack into such a tiny space! The etching is all about the surface; look closely, and you can see how the web of etched lines creates texture and form. It’s like he’s thinking through the lines, letting them build up to describe the cow, the grass, the fence. See how the darker areas are where the lines are denser, creating shadows and volume? There's something so charming about the way he's captured the humble cow, you know? It reminds me of other artists like, say, Paula Modersohn-Becker, who found beauty in everyday, unglamorous subjects. Art isn’t always about grand statements, sometimes it’s about seeing the poetry in the mundane, like a cow at a fence.